Beyond Alpha
by Kanto the Slayer
Summary: The torch has to be passed sooner or later. Welcome to the next generation of Ansatsuken. Rating for mild language, but that's about it. Chapter 39 is underway! The time has come to say farewell, but never goodbye. Again, the wheels are in motion.
1. Enter the Cherry Blossom

_Ansatsuken, the Assassin's Fist_.

The name for a form of martial arts dedicated to one single purpose: Death. A combination of the most lethal techniques from four different martial arts styles, it is the most powerful martial art known to man. Several men are known as the pinnacle of this martial art, two of which were Gouki and Gouken.

One transformed himself into what could be considered a demon, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the bloodshed aspect of the Assassin's Fist. The other, deciding that killing was not the proper intent of the martial arts, transformed the lethal techniques into those of self-defense and incapacitation. This man who had learned how to temper his energies passed his knowledge to two other men who could be considered masters themselves nowadays- Ken Masters, and the man simply known as Ryu.

For years, the two trained, learning how to harness their internal energies and focus them into their fists and feet. Within the first few months, they could leap higher, run faster, hit harder, and project their chi beyond the range of physical contact. They trained consistently, both looking for their own path through the legendary and deadly martial art.

While they were not unstoppable or immortal, they were two of the best fighters ever seen. Still, the chain of succession does have to continue sooner or later.

Ken has already taken a student, Sean. While Ryu's whereabouts are unknown, it is clear that he still treads the path of the warrior. And sooner or later, someone will show up with the intention of asking him the one question he feels he is not ready to answer… "Will you train me?"

Perhaps the time is coming sooner, rather than later.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

"**Hyai**!"

The sound of fists ramming into a heavy bag echoed through the empty building, the lights dimmed and all doors locked, save for one. It sounded like whoever was hitting the damned thing was putting everything they had into it, without restraint. The chain shook almost violently as one strike after another, followed by the odd kick here and there, rained down on the hapless training device.

One would think that this early in the morning, the school gym was closed.

"**Shaaaaaa**!"

Not for her.

This was Sakura Kasugano, age twenty-two, and her favorite past time was kicking some ass. It had been a good five years since she had seen _him_ last, five years of schoolwork, graduation, summer vacation, life in general… and training. And it wasn't just any training- this was non-stop, relentless, and completely insane training. It was an obsession.

While one would usually ask why she had a thing for beating up on a training bag all day, she was of the age where she could do what she wanted to without scrutiny, so long as she got her coursework done. Math still sucked, a good run was still her favorite act of the day, and she still knew how to throw a solid left hook.

Said left hook rammed into the heavy bag, right into the imaginary short ribs of her opponent, whoever it was.

Of course, the Sakura that one would usually look at had changed. She wasn't sporting her trademark sailor skirt anymore- she wore blue sweatpants and black training shoes and a sports bra. Her figure had improved by leaps and bounds, as befitting her age, to the point that many a college-going male would turn their heads and stare. Her chestnut brown hair was longer, but since she kept it neat and tidy, did not go beyond where her neck ended and her shoulders began. But those same red sparring gloves that she had become accustomed to were still there.

They were just in a different size now.

With another shout, she executed a right roundhouse kick into the bag, then another, and another, as if chopping down some great oak. With that, she turned her back, quickly lined up, and sent that same right leg sailing home in a spinning rear kick that almost sent the bag flying off of its chain.

Breathing heavily, she slowly walked away from her "foe" and moved toward her bag, which lay a couple of feet away, next to a wall.

A few seconds later, after the bag had stopped swaying, it fell apart in half.

Sakura cringed as she heard the telltale sound of sand spilling onto the floor. "Man, not again!"

It was the third one she had trashed.

She sighed as she sat on the floor, drinking from her water bottle. "I'm betting the maintenance guys are gonna have a field day with this one, just like last time. Not to mention it's going to come out of my pay check… this really sucks."

She didn't sound too repentant, though. They were just more stumbling blocks she had to overcome.

"Working hard again, Sakura-chan?"

She looked up just in time to see the security guard, the one who had let her in here in the first place. With a smile and a scratch on the back of her neck, she said, "Yeah and you can see the results here. I'm gonna get into trouble again…"

The guard shrugged and said, "No worries. I'll clean it up for you this time. When they ask what happened to it, I'll just say it had to be replaced. I'm sure they'll have a fun time wondering when the order for that came in, but it'll keep them from finding out what went on. And don't worry- this time, you were never here."

She grinned and said, "That's another one I have on my tab, then. Thanks!"

She stood up and stretched out before saying, "How long do I have left?"

The guard checked his watch and said, "About two hours, give or take. You better hurry up and finish here, or else my story isn't going to stick."

She nodded and said, "Sure thing. You uh, might want to clear the area for this next part. I wouldn't want you getting hurt or anything."

He nodded and waved behind him as he moved back towards his office.

Sakura sighed and said, "Well, here goes nothing, I guess. I just hope I don't have to start from square one again…"

The young woman settled down, completing a few more stretches before she settled into a comfortable stance. This of course was the moment of truth. Every day, she had trained just for this, thinking it would do something. Of course, a good warm-up helped, but there was always something missing.

But never mind that.

From her fighting stance, Sakura shifted her weight to her rear leg, bringing her hands together in close proximity, right over left. With that, she took a deep breath… and focused. By now, it did not take long to prepare her attack- a sphere of energy soon formed in her hands. It was small, but it wasn't like she had anything else to work with.

Then, she made it bigger – twice the size, three times, four. The energy ball neatly fit in her hands now. And then came the hard part- making it even bigger. The idea was to make it as big as his was and still have it work. It hadn't happened yet without her flinging it more than ten feet. Now she would try again.

"**HYAAAAH**!"

She pushed off of her rear leg, immediately shifted all of her weight forward, and extended both palms in one swift, fluid, harmonious motion. The wave of energy blasted forward, seeming to fill the dim room with an unearthly light. How long would it last this time? _Would it even work_?

Her eyes widened as she saw it move for a ways, hoping that it wouldn't fizzle out.

"Come on, come on…"

It was moderately successful this time, moving several feet beyond its standard range before cancelling out entirely.

Sakura grinned.

"Hah! If that's not an improvement, I dunno what is! Just you wait… next time I see you, it's gonna be a real one, for sure!" She did a twirl for a brief moment before she sighed and said, "Now, can I do it again? That's the real question…"

So that's what she did for the next few hours, the first move that she had learned simply from watching Ryu in combat. It was known as the Hadouken, one of the three major techniques behind Ansatsuken. Supposedly a difficult move to master, it was leaned in a few weeks by the girl of age fifteen.

It was as if using chi were second nature to her. She didn't know how she did it, nor did she ask herself why it was possible. And for the past five years, she had spent most of her free time that was not spent studying in the daily ritual of making it bigger, stronger, and faster.

By the time those two hours were finished, she had worked up a good sweat, and the sun was beginning to climb over the horizon. With a yawn, she headed back towards her bag, polished off her water bottle, and dug into her bag for the towel that she had brought with her. Once she had gotten that and started drying herself off, she reached for another item that was somewhere deeper.

"Oh, hell… I left it at home again… ah! There you are!"

She fished out the picture of Ryu that she still had with her all these years.

"I wonder what you would think of me, training like this. Would you be proud? Annoyed that I was still chasing after you? Or would you still have that look on your face that just stared right through me?" She smiled and said, "Either way, it's because of you that I'm this strong now. Looking at this picture of you… it makes me wonder where you are now."

She shrugged and said, "Doesn't matter. What matters is where I have to be at the moment, which is boring-as-all-hell school. Well whatever. It won't get in the way of my training!"

She dropped the photo into her bag again, kept the towel around her shoulders, and began heading for the doors that were still unlocked. With a wave and a farewell to the security guard, she began the trek back to her dorms.

'So begins another round of useless information to cram into my head. It never ends.'

Well, she'd be done with it soon enough. After all, only two more years to go, right?

* * *

"Seriously Sakura, did you get any sleep last night?"

That was Kei Chitose, the fighter girl's best friend. And she was currently concerned about her friend's red eyes and the haggard look on her features. "Couldn't sleep," she muttered. "Too busy fighting in my sleep. Besides, it's not my fault his lectures are boring. He needs to change his teaching style."

Kei blinked and said, "You seriously _fight in your sleep_? Honestly, I don't know what to do with you! You haven't given all that up yet, huh? I don't know what you get out of it, but if it's going to cause you to lose sleep, it's not healthy."

Sakura yawned and said, "Sounds like something my mom would say. Are you my mom now, Kei-chan?"

She placed her hands on her hips and said, "Well I might as well be. Someone has to look after you, when you run around everywhere like you do. Now hurry up and get yourself awake, we have a lot to do today. We have some time to spare, so let's get some food in you first."

Sakura almost immediately perked up at the mention of food. "You mean it? Sweet! I hope breakfast isn't over yet!"

Kei sighed and shook her head. 'I'm not buying for you, Kasugano…'

Almost as an afterthought, entirely oblivious to what her friend was thinking, Sakura added, "And it's on me this time, Kei-chan, so don't worry!"

The young lady in question blinked for a moment. It was strange how Sakura could sometimes say what was on another person's mind without having to… wait a minute. Did she say that breakfast was on her? That sounded wrong, somehow. "Sakura, wait! How did you get the money for it?"

But no, she was running towards the cafeteria. And when Sakura ran anywhere, she ran fast. Kei sighed and made an attempt to catch up, storing the question in the back of her mind for later. She really, really hoped that her good friend hadn't gotten into any trouble recently…

But she had no time to ask, seeing as Sakura was already picking out what she wanted to eat. She could be awfully focused about food, almost as much as fighting. What that meant was that she only vaguely listened to what anyone talking to her said. It would take someone of an awful convincing nature to tear her away from her meal.

"Well, isn't this a surprise. Among the commoners, I find the only one capable of being my equal."

Sakura seemed to freeze in place at the quite familiar voice. After turning her head slowly in its direction, her skin seemed to pale. "Oh, _come on_… it's breakfast time! Can't this wait for at least ten minutes? I promise it'll be quick."

She was five feet, nine inches of blond hair, brown eyes, and the most irritating personality ever. That was a good way to describe Karin Kanzuki, a rich girl who was the heiress to her father's mega-corporation. Today, she wore a pair of casual light blue jeans along with a not-so-casual silk shirt, dark blue in color and with the sleeves down to her elbows. The sandals she wore complimented the outift perfectly, and the outfit complimented her figure.

In fact, it did everything it could to compliment her figure without revealing it all the way. So in short, she was dressed to attract the most attention to her person that she could.

Though she was the same age as Sakura, she was the more admired, desired, and basically the queen bee of the college. She had everything, including her own personal fighting style. Years ago at age sixteen, she had been defeated by Sakura Kasugano in one-on-one combat, after hearing about her victories in battle. Back then, she had adhered to the motto that a Kanzuki should be successful in their every endavour- that defeat meant disgrace. She wanted to prove herself against Sakura and show her style superior to that of some commoner.

She lost. Twice. For a girl like her, it damaged her pride significantly to have someone of lower breeding win against her otherwise perfect technique. So she traveled the world, seeking out her prey, looking for the chance to one-up her.

Yet when she had finally won against her rival… she had gained nothing. There were two problems with her victory- the first of which was that it was far too narrow. It was a barely-earned win, and she knew it. With that said, the second problem was that she had discovered that merely fighting to win was empty. Usually, she would degrade her opponents; taunt them even while they were down.

She didn't do that to Sakura, because it had been one of the closest battles she had ever had. The win this time would not be so narrow.

"You speak such nonsense, Sakura! It's _always_ a good time for a fight."

And then her stomach complained in the form of a growl. One could almost see the sweat drop forming on the foreheads of the three women.

"…Right after breakfast."

For Sakura, breakfast didn't even take thirty minutes. As soon as the three of them found an empty table, she damn near inhaled her food, as if the world were going to end in the next few seconds and she needed every ounce of the good stuff before it was her time to go. Kei laughed nervously as their table caught more than a few stares, and Karin shook her head.

"Entirely devoid of manners, aren't you Kasugano?"

Kei simply took it in stride. "Don't mind her," she said almost apologetically, "She was like this when we were kids, too. I mean, if she wanted to, she could clear this whole table by herself, but she's gotten better about that. Right, Sakura?"

The young fighter stopped for a moment and said, "Yeah. Having your own budget teaches you a lot. Still, I'm a growing girl! And then there's training, and running, and all the other things I have to do that require plenty of energy."

Karin chuckled and said, "Just as long as you don't eat the plastic forks while you're at it."

Sakura glared at her self-proclaimed rival for a moment before she began digging in again. It wasn't even three minutes before she said, "Finished! That was refreshing." With that, she stretched out and said, "So, are we gonna do this or not? I have a class to get to."

Even Karin had to stare at Sakura for a moment. One minute, it was there, and the next the food had vanished. "Um… how many plates does she usually eat like that?"

Kei had the same incredulous stare. Honestly, she should not have been surprised by now, but… "She usually downs three or four of them, normally. But this one was… slower. She took her time, despite what it looks like." Raising an eyebrow, she said, "You in a good mood, Sakura?"

The fighter in question grinned and said, "Maybe I am!"

This simple response made several warning bells go off in Kanzuki's head. 'Something happened,' she deduced immediately. 'Something happened, and I'm going to find out what it is.'

But for the moment, she said nothing, calmly eating her food with her usual refined manner. The time would come when all the answers would come out, but not in the form of words. Karin took her sweet time about eating her breakfast, because there wasn't really any hurry in getting all banged up. She could challenge her at any time of the day, really.

And she would, as many times as it took, until she finally won by a margin that was big enough to call it a real victory.

* * *

"You do understand that there's no hope of you winning this time," Karin said as she stood in front of her rival with a confident posture and a smirk on her features. "I've studied all of your moves; seen all of your fights, and have corrected the errors in my own style."

Sakura simply stood there with a yawn. Was she going to _talk_ all day? Well if that were the case, she'd take this time to do a few stretches. Meanwhile, Karin continued her soliloquy.

"If you're going to admit defeat, I suggest you do it now, so you can save yourself the embarrassment of being knocked to the ground. Then again, it would be fitting for you to be there in the first place- it certainly suits you better than standing…"

That's the point when she opened her eyes and found Sakura still stretching.

"Hey… are you even listening to me?"

Sakura looked up from a hamstring stretch and said, "Hmm? You're done?"

Okay, that always got her pissed off. "Damn you, Kasugano! I'll teach you some respect!"

She rushed towards Sakura, a calculated plan in her head even as she approached at top speed. With her low position, a good solid kick to the face was unavoidable at the moment. It would take her a while to get out of that stretch that she was in, so as long as she was fast enough, it wouldn't be a problem to score the opening hit.

Problem- she wasn't that slow. Sakura simply got out of her stretch while Karin was halfway towards the final point of impact, and slipped the subsequent kick, moving to her left. She was inside, Karin was off balance, and as the kick overextended…

"Bye!"

WHAM. Sakura's right hand landed into the solar plexus with a calculated palm strike. But it didn't end there- she was too close in for it to just stop. Even as Karin was entirely winded by the sudden attack, the follow-through was just as devastating as she was tossed back several feet. It was fortunate that she was resilient enough to not let it get her down, but unfortunate that Sakura began pressing her advantage.

"You must be _joking_, talking on and on like that," she said as she charged forward. "The fight began when we got outside!"

Karin grimaced and said, "I see. Then take **this**!"

With that, she immediately sprang up from where she was, and unleashed a series of palm strikes. Not entirely caught by surprise, Sakura knew how to deal with it. Unfortunately, the momentum that she had garnered was too much, and she had to take it. The first two impacted solidly, forcing her to grit her teeth as she stumbled backwards.

The next elbow was not a surprise, really- Karin loved using this one on her. Sakura blocked the first that was headed towards her gut, and braced her stance just as the second came in towards her chin. It came up, she slipped to the right, and was then close enough to grab on.

The sound of a knee impacting into Karin's ribs was then heard, making the crowd that was gathering wince. Once, twice, three times it hit, before Karin attempted to break the hold. Her right foot slammed down on Sakura's left, causing her to hiss in pain before she got violently tossed through the air. The Kanzuki heir prepared to follow up, storming towards Sakura's point of landing, when she saw her land on her feet in an almost catlike manner.

'Shit! No helping it now…'

She just decided to go at it the old fashioned way, with a punch straight to her face. Hopefully it'd wipe the smirk right off of it. The only bad news was that Sakura had the same idea, and the two attacks met in the middle. It hurt, they both knew it. It seemed that neither seemed to care, because the next attack was almost instantaneous.

Neither of them seemed to notice the crowd that had gathered, either.

Trading blows that were a blur to the vision of the onlookers, the two rivals attempted to beat each other senseless at extremely close range. The ribbon that Karin still wore in her hair, still colored a vibrant blue, snapped off as she ducked underneath a left hook that nearly took her head off. Sakura narrowly managed to block a spinning roundhouse kick that would have broken more than a few ribs.

Her right forearm stung for the rest of the fight.

The crowd around them, still ignored, cheered them on anyway. Sure, security would come sooner or later to break them all up, but they might as well see the spectacle while it lasted. Besides, these two were really, _really_ good.

Said crowd let out a collective gasp as Karin managed to kick Sakura into the air before crouching low to the ground. Something was about to happen…

"Kazuki-ryu…"

The air around her seemed to explode outwards in a small pressure wave as she launched upwards towards Sakura.

"**Kououken**!"

The only thing Sakura could do as she saw Karin coming upwards was grin.

'Now we're talkin'!'

And then, the storm of attacks was upon her as Karin's hands sliced into Sakura like the blades of a fan. After a series of six hits, Sakura fell towards the ground unceremoniously, impacting with such force that she left a small crater in her wake.

Bruised and battered, but still standing, Karin landed on her feet and settled into stance. The crowd that surrounded them (and had grown to twice its size by now) exploded. Oh yes, this was going to be talked about for weeks.

Karin did not move. She did not cheer, she did not brag, she did not pose; the fighter simply stood still, waiting.

Soon enough, she heard it. The sound that made the crowd quiet down. It was the sound of jubilant, exhilarated laughter that came from the impact zone where Sakura had fallen from no more or less than ten feet in the air. She figured it wouldn't be that easy to put her rival down, though the people that watched her ram into the pavement with such brutal force were shocked.

Anyone else would have been knocked out cold.

"That's more like it! _That's_ what I wanted to see!"

The dust settled, and standing in the very crater she had created, was one very conscious Sakura Kasugano. And she was grinning as if she hadn't just fallen from heaven.

"It hurt like hell, don't get me wrong… but you're serious now. You're enjoying it."

Karin smirked, but did not respond. Sakura was right, dead on. She _was_ enjoying it. But she couldn't speak now, she was focused. She saw no one, heard no one, but the woman standing before her who had not only taken one of her signature attacks head on, but was still standing afterwards.

Sakura wiped the blood from her mouth and said, "Good. That means I can fight you for real."

And in the next instant, Karin was absolutely correct in her desire to take a fighting stance, because Sakura almost disappeared from her field of view. Karin's eyes widened as Sakura was before her in a matter of seconds. Before she could put up an ample defense, Karin got rammed into with a right punch that ended up being something more.

The fist tore its way along Karin's torso, making a singular impact for every step that Sakura took. Karin was fortunate that Sakura had absolutely no training in the real version of this attack, because she would have been long since knocked down and out by now. As it was, by the time Sakura launched herself into the air, her opponent had simply gone flying along with her.

"**Shouoken**!"

That didn't mean it didn't hurt.

Karin had little time to recover after Sakura had landed, because the impact with the ground had taken the wind out of her. After Sakura's surprisingly short trip through the air, she got into the familiar stance that denoted one of the signature moves of the style she so wished to emulate.

By the time Karin got right back up, Sakura was finished preparing her move. She gritted her teeth and quickly sprinted forward. She had to catch her before she let it go- otherwise she'd get hit with that annoying energy attack again, and it would hurt worse than that last move.

'Not this time. I know the weakness of that attack!'

It could only go so far before it fizzled out, couldn't it? As long as she was in close range, it could do something, but since she wasn't, it wouldn't exactly be effective. So why was she rushing in the first place? Because Karin knew that Sakura's version of the Hadouken was untrained- it was not perfect just yet.

'I won't lose to it this time. This is my chance to gain an advantage!'

But of course, Sakura did not wait for Karin to come any closer, and that was not in the scenario. She let fly with the obligatory shout, and Karin smirked in satisfaction. "A bit early there, aren't we? Too bad it's not going to…"

WHAM.

Karin gritted her teeth, her eyes wide with shock.

'There's no way… she actually _extended its range_?'

"Yeah," Sakura said as she pumped a fist in the air, "It _worked_!"

The blonde bombshell was knocked backwards for several meters by the surge of energy, and the crowd had to move out of her way before watching her land in a quite ungraceful heap. Okay, now that hurt quite a lot, actually. The world spun before her as she recovered, slowly, from what had to be the millionth time she had been hit by the Hadouken.

'She… has gotten better, even without training. If she studied under someone who knew the techniques intimately…'

Her mind could not comprehend the possibilities.

"How disgraceful," she muttered as she heard the crowd's cheers for Sakura, "I'll never catch up to her like this." She had lost again. But like last time, she didn't mind at all, really. It taught her something, just like their last match. As her vision cleared, she saw a hand extended to her.

"You okay there?" Sakura asked sheepishly. "I know it needs more work; sorry if I overdid it."

Karin chuckled and took Sakura's extended hand, just before noticing Kei's as well. "No… you didn't overdo it at all. In fact, I think you're underrating yourself. It's something _very_ annoying about you, and you should stop doing it."

Sakura blinked, confused at her words. What did she mean? She really wasn't all that good- there were many out there that were better than she was. She didn't even have a proper teacher yet; in fact, she had never had one. This was a sad fact indeed for her, because she really wanted to know about the style she was trying to use.

Kei smiled nervously and said, "I doubt she'll ever stop doing it until she actually thinks she's learned something. Like how to pick one's fights… we're about to be late, all of us."

Sakura grimaced and said, "Yeah, well a good fight is worth some extra class work. I figure we both could use a bit of time at the infirmary, though… Kei, just let sensei know we'll be a bit occupied, okay?"

Okay, that was too much for her. The poor girl face faulted.

* * *

Mount Song, Henan Province, China.

Within the confines of the Shaolin Monastery located on this sacred mountain, a man of Japanese descent sat in lotus posture, his legs folded and hands located on his knees. Standing at five feet, eleven inches and sporting roughshod black hair and brown eyes – eyes which were currently closed – he had the build of a man who had seen much hardship.

The worn white karate gi and red headband were telltale signs of his profession.

The wind ruffled his clothing and belt, toyed with his short hair, yet the twenty-nine year old warrior did not stir. In the early, all too early morning, he was entirely still, his mind a polished mirror.

Then, he felt something tug at the edges of his consciousness, calling his awareness to the forefront. It was distant… faint still, but he felt it. His eyes opened as the vague surge of energy was registered, and for a brief moment, wondered what it might mean. Then, he stopped wondering and his brow furrowed as he realized the implications.

'It's her. But she's progressing without anyone teaching her.'

That… was bad. Such power uncontrolled was not healthy for one's body or mind, and yet she was progressing at an astounding rate. Still, she was unchecked and unrefined, and using the techniques without proper focus could lead to more than just severe injury.

Ryu calmly breathed in one last time, then exhaled slowly. It was time to leave.

With an almost serpentine grace, he uncoiled his legs and stood, his entire body relaxed, even though he had sat here motionless for hours with an empty mind. Not once did his body complain as he walked towards his travel bag, hefting it over his right shoulder. Not once did he look back as he made his way through the front gates, vanishing into the forests.

It didn't matter if he was ready for it or not; she had to learn.

'Ken has already found a student, but the kid needs someone else- someone to measure himself against. Does Sakura have someone like that?'

There was a reason that Ansatsuken trained only two students at a time- it was so they could push each other through the trials they would have to undertake. Not to mention the two would develop their own tactics and strategies to counteract their classmate. She needed to learn the proper control of her energies, or she would cause misfortune wherever she did battle.

Besides, he had promised her another match the next time they met.

But it wasn't enough. He had to give her more than just a battle. He had to teach her. It was as if the two of them were fated to meet five years ago… but the past did not matter. The only thing that mattered now was that he got to her before anyone else did.

Especially before _he_ got there first…

* * *

**Round 1: **_**Enter the Cherry Blossom**_

Phew. Took me a few days, but this is the result. Once again, another Kanto creation is born! And this is in the midst of writing other things, too. I'm not sure if I want to limit this to a few chapters or not, but hey- that's up to the reaction of all those fans out there.

Truth be told, this story was born from a lack of knowing where Sakura would end up next- where she was going to be when Street Fighter Alpha ended. Thus, this story takes place around the time when Street Fighter Three ends- in other words it should take place after _Third Strike_. I know perfectly well that Sean is not under Ken anymore, but… does Ryu know that?

Heck, I just might have him as his student anyways, since _SF3: Third Strike_ is the end of the Street Fighter canon. We'll just have to see, won't we?

Anyways, that's it for me, guys. Read, review, consume.


	2. More than Victory

Within an undisclosed location at the bottom of the world, temperatures went beyond freezing. The Antarctic Circle was an environment that no one dared live in, much less _train_ in. Only those who had no concern for their own safety or sanity would go to this place with neither the clearance, nor the equipment to handle the unforgiving frozen landscapes.

One man… no, he was not considered a man anymore. One _being _who lived and breathed and had a rational thinking process dared challenge it. Standing atop a massive glacier that had a brilliant view of the entire ice shelf, the being with red hair and empty eyes did not feel the cold, or the wind, or the passage of time. He simply stood there with his eyes fixed on the distant horizon, using his five senses to track his prey.

Yes… that man was no longer a man either. No, he was extending to something more; something beyond that shell of a body. It was odd… that man did not kill, yet he had become this strong, this powerful. Even his losses – and yes, he _knew_ that man had lost – made him stronger. It almost made him shiver in anticipation at the thought of it.

The two of them were destined to have a battle that would shake the heavens and make the earth tremble underfoot. He _would_ have his perfect battle yet.

But then, in a land that was as alien to him now as the ice he stood on, another slight pulse was felt. Another strange anomaly in the pattern of lives- something so slight, so small, could be felt even here. It made him look in its direction with a slightly raised eyebrow, the first change in his stony expression in days.

'That is Hadou… but it is still weak. So why can I sense it even from here?'

He did not need to search for it again; his otherworldly senses had already locked onto the source. And the prey he was tracking was headed for it as well. If it were significant enough for that man to travel towards it, then perhaps it was of importance to him as well. Besides, it would be interesting to see someone other than their own selves using Ansatsuken.

'Now all that remains to be seen if this power is being used… properly.'

The being stretched his right hand to the sky and began drawing the energies from all around him; the snow, the sea, the sky. It wasn't all that hard for him anymore to utilize the basic principle of Hadou, utilizing not only the energy within, but energy from life itself. In fact, this was considered by him to be the ultimate expression of this energy, this fearsome power.

Five seconds… ten… fifteen passed. And then, he clenched his fist and rammed it downward, straight into the glacier, releasing it all at once.

Immediately, the violent energies made their way throughout the solid ice, destroying the massive crystal as it moved toward the ocean. Chunks of the glacier fell into the sea, steam rising from them along the way. The massive shockwave that extended outwards from the destruction of the edifice almost caused a tidal wave that almost reached the continent itself.

But when the frozen debris settled and the steam cleared, the being was gone, leaving a boiling patch of ocean water that was once deathly cold in his wake.

Akuma was on the move. Heaven help his target.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Kei was almost scared to think about what exactly was going on with her friend. Something didn't seem right yesterday about her paying for breakfast, when she was the one usually out of money. And what was this about being on a budget? It almost sounded like she was actually being responsible for once. But that wouldn't be possible unless…

'Oh, no… don't tell me she's planning on another trip around the world again.'

But then that led to the question of how she was getting the money in the first place, which still confused her. Sakura was not telling anyone yet, not even Karin. No matter how hard Kei pressed about it, the fighter girl would avoid the question altogether, which made her even more worried. She almost wanted to stop asking and just trust that she had actually gotten a normal, part-time job.

And then she laughed at herself. "Sakura is not normal. I have to accept that sooner or later. Someone who can toss around her chi like some kind of fastball is not normal at all. She wouldn't take any normal source of income, would she?"

This was while she was having lunch the next day, oddly by herself. Sakura usually ate with her, but she said that she had somewhere to be this time around. While she respected her privacy and figured she had other things to take care of, it wasn't all that reassuring to hear that she would break from the usual routine so suddenly.

'I bet it's all those missed classes,' she thought to herself with a sigh.

Of course, this was all very distracting, and she didn't have the senses of a seasoned combatant like Sakura. So she didn't notice when a few guys came up to her table and casually sat there. Now in order to understand why this was happening, one has to take a closer look at the often underrated Kei Chitose.

Age twenty two, born in the same prefecture as Sakura herself was, in the same ward and neighborhood. She wasn't exactly next door, but she was close enough to where Sakura could visit on a regular basis. Her hair was a lighter brown than Sakura's, but she had eyes of the same color and a similar build.

Similar build wasn't the exact word for it, though; they had both turned out to be complete and total _bombshells_ by the time they were nineteen, and now the quality had become even more stunning. That wasn't to say they were perfect or unique- there were plenty of girls out there who were just as beautiful. But they did come close.

One could almost call them sisters, but then one would have to consider that their similarities ended at their ages and hometown. Kei was interested in boys and shopping and actually studying for her classes (well, most of them anyway), like a normal high-school, and now college, student. She had a normal life and normal dreams.

Sakura had almost no ambition before she had seen _him_ fight.

Even now, she had very little ambition, though she had a natural talent for speaking English as if she were born knowing two languages, took some of the best pictures that Kei had ever seen, and wrote as if she had focused just a bit of her soul in a pen or pencil. She was still bad at math, but then that was what Kei was there for, and Sakura had a memory five miles long and ten yards wide.

'If only she'd use that memory for class work instead of… _that_.'

Even though no one really knew it, not even she, Sakura was uncannily intuitive about things. Saying what was on other people's minds without having to guess, answering a question dead on while absorbed in something entirely unrelated, or seeing something once, and being able to remember forever to the point of copying it.

It was too bad that all of her intuitive capacity was used for the single, sole purpose of becoming a fighter. She didn't want status, she didn't want fame, and she was without malice and without greed. She just wanted to fight, and improve, and better herself through it, as a person.

Kei couldn't understand it. Perhaps she didn't want to.

But because she didn't try to understand, perhaps she didn't notice the three guys that were sitting at her table, two of them whispering amongst themselves while the third, which sat the closest to her, cleared his throat in an attempt to catch her attention. With her so wrapped up in her thoughts, Kei did not hear it. So he tried the old fashioned way.

"Hey, it's gonna get cold if you just sit there."

Kei blinked, pulled from her trance by a charming male voice. Or rather, one that thought it was charming. She looked towards him in surprise and found him at first glance to be… well, somewhat handsome. Sandy brown hair with hazel eyes and a slender build that was pleasing to the eye. He wasn't a beanpole, that was for sure, and the way he smiled made her forget about her own troubles, at least for a few moments.

"Ah, thanks," she said after a blush, cursing herself for not being able to eat for worrying about her friend. "Sometimes my mind can wander like that."

"I noticed," he said with a chuckle. Kei was wrong- he _did_ sound charming. She smiled towards him, feeling at east. At least he wasn't out to get her, yet. Most guys who stared at her as if they were caught in a pair of headlights wanted only one thing, and Sakura managed to give them the glare of doom before they got any ideas.

But this one was different – seemed different, anyway.

"I'm Kei," she said as she extended one of her hands in an offering for a shake, "Kei Chitose."

He took the hand and shook it, responding in kind. "Akio Tanaka. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Chitose-san. These two knuckleheads here," he said as he pointed a thumb over to his two friends who looked entirely nervous, "Are Seiji and Daisuke. Don't let them bother you too much, okay?"

She laughed and said, "Why would they bother me at all? They look nice enough."

Then one of them opened their mouth. At first, it wasn't that bad, really. Seiji simply asked Kei a rather innocent question. "Um… where's Kasugano-san?"

Kei raised an eyebrow and said, "Um, she's busy at the moment, doing God-knows-what." She rolled her eyes at that and said, "Why?"

They looked at each other and said, "Not cool. She was supposed to be here."

Kei blinked. "Um, excuse me?"

Akio smirked and said, "This is what I was talking about… they're her fans."

The other two blushed and said as they glared at their so-called friend, "She doesn't have to _know_ that!"

Kei felt like she was missing something here, so she asked, "What exactly do you mean? This is the first time I've heard of Sakura-chan having any sort of fans." This might give her a hint on what exactly Sakura has been doing all this time to get herself that money.

"You're her best friend and you don't even know that? You're unfit to be _near_ her, Kei Chitose."

Conversation at the table stopped as everyone sitting there looked towards Karin Kanzuki, who had overheard the chatter. Daisuke and Seiji couldn't stop staring at her. Were they just plain lucky today to be surrounded with impossibly beautiful women? If that were the case, they could only pray to the gods that they would remain this lucky forever.

Akio placed a hand over his forehead and said, "Please, miss, don't get them started. They won't stop for days."

Karin peered over towards him for a brief moment, and noticed that Kei was sitting next to him, obviously interested. She smirked and mused to herself, 'So that's how it is. He does seem companionable and worthy. Not bad, Chitose. Perhaps this time I'll give you some mercy.'

"Is that so? Well then, forgive my indiscretion," she said dismissively. "Hope you all don't mind if I sit here, the other tables are packed."

The other two stooges moved with haste to give her somewhere to sit, not wanting to refuse such an angel. Well if only they knew who she was, they would have thought twice about giving up their seats. Still, she didn't mind taking the one that Seiji used to sit in while he got his own from… well, somewhere. He'd find somewhere to get a seat from, honest.

Kei sweat dropped. They were in a world of trouble already, the poor things. "But seriously Karin, what does Sakura do to get her _fans_?" She had to test the word for a few moments in her head, and then match it to Sakura. She giggled at the thought. "It's just not possible in my mind."

Karin had a serious look on her face for a moment and said, "So she hasn't told you yet. To tell the truth, I only found out by coincidence after looking her up on the internet." She began eating her food, as if she were calmly discussing the weather, but that solemn expression on her features hadn't faded. "Apparently, she has been doing more training than just beating on some bag. Now I've made contact with my sources, and they have confirmed that she heads down to full-contact cage fights whenever they happen to come up."

Kei gasped, her eyes going wide with shock and fear. She knew there was something wrong, but she didn't think it was that bad! "Sakura-chan, you didn't!" She turned towards Karin and said, "Haven't you tried to talk her out of it?"

Karin glared towards Kei and said, "And risk dishonoring her by doing so? You really don't understand her, Chitose-san." Kei went silent. It was the first time that Karin had actually treated her with a bit of respect. Karin took the opportunity that was given to continue calmly. "She doesn't exist in a normal world. She and I are much like Ken Masters and Ryu; we live in an entirely different circle. Where to improve one's self means to struggle- where character is earned after testing oneself time and time again."

Kei was still silent. Hearing someone say something like this, it sounded like it was something out of a manga. But it was true… everything she was saying struck a chord.

"We fight not for mere victory or defeat," she said softly, "But for something higher. You could call it something like enlightenment, or honor, or whatever else, but it's not anything as superficial as you make it out to be." Karin smiled and added, "Sakura showed me that. She opened my eyes that one shouldn't strive for mere victory, because once that happens, and once you're beaten… bad things can come of it."

Kei was still silent. She wanted to hear it for herself, to make sure that she got it all.

"What I'm trying to say," Karin said as she looked back down at her plate, "Is that there's living, and then there's _being alive_. That people like us, if we're not fighting for something… against someone… we don't feel alive. Just going through the motions of everyday life isn't enough."

Kei said softly, "There are other ways to do it… that kind of life just sounds too sad."

Karin smiled and replied, "Not for us, Chitose-san… if you could see it with your own eyes, you'd understand."

With that, the rich girl who was not so snobby anymore said, "Follow her. Watch her wherever she goes. If you want to know why she does it, don't ask any more questions. Just follow her. I'll do the same as well, because I have to know my limits."

Almost reluctantly, Kei nodded. "I will. Thanks…"

Karin smiled and said, "I don't need thanks. I'm just giving advice. This time's for free- the next time, it's going to cost you. Don't ask what- I'll decide that later."

It was at this point when Akio asked her, "That's not bad advice… what's your name, anyways?"

She lifted her head proudly, one of the few moments of pride she allowed herself these days, and said, "My name is Karin Kanzuki."

By now, Seiji had returned to the table, and had heard the name. His eyes went wide, his body froze in place, and he and Daisuke wanted to die and go to heaven right then. "Kanzuki!? You mean you're Sakura's…"

She looked over towards them and said, "Correct. You two let everyone know, wherever you happen to tread, that Sakura Kasugano will lose to me, and no one else."

Kei sweat dropped again. Sakura certainly was getting popular these days. Meanwhile, the two men who were currently as if they were back in high school, fainted in a rather star struck manner. Yeah, they were fan boys to the core. Fortunately for everyone at the table and in the building in general, Karin did not perform her trademark laugh.

Not that she felt the moment was inappropriate, of course. Just that she was beyond things like that.

* * *

Sakura was not running towards the place where the fights were held- that would be suicide. No, she was just running, on campus, enjoying the scenery. Of course, she was enjoying the scenery in a corner of her mind as she settled into a place where her body was on autopilot, her breathing in sync with her cadence, her heartbeat in time with her footfalls.

When her body ran on autopilot, moved without conscious thought, her mind was free to imagine and dream up scenarios- specific situations in which she may or may not find herself. In an alley, by herself, with three on either side and all with various implements that could be used to bash her skull in. In the cage, against an opponent much larger than she herself was, or faster, or stronger.

She imagined herself against Karin, without people watching, in a desolate field. In her mind, there was no one to cheer, no one to intrude, and no one to judge. It would result in a fight that would end in one of them being disabled for a few good weeks, and the other much worse off, but still alive. That was the point, wasn't it? After it ended, they were both still alive and could still move.

She imagined herself against Ryu, as he took her seriously. Oh, she knew he was not being serious on their first match. It was too easy- he had let her win against him. But this time was different… he was focused, his expression intense, staring right through her. His Shoryuken launched her through the air, sending her skyward. His Tastumaki Senpuukyaku tore through her like a hot knife through butter. His Hadouken knocked her back a couple of meters instead of her measly few feet.

It all made her… smile.

That was it… that's what she wanted. She longed for him to take her seriously.

It wasn't love- not in that regard. She admired him, respected him, wanted him to train her and force her to advance. She wanted to be better, and he was her gateway. She realized that she could only go so far on her own; that was already a given. Sakura, in a sense, wanted to be just like him, and yet her own person at the same time.

'I wish he could teach me… then I could use it to make my own style, with my own moves.'

Not like she didn't have her own moves already, just that… well, they weren't _enough_. She didn't think so, anyways. There had to be more.

But even as she was thinking and allowing her body to move for her, there were people following Sakura. Hoping not to be detected, they stuck to the shady trees and the shadows of buildings. Three of them, and they looked rather suspicious, but Sakura either did not sense them or pretended not to notice.

There were other places in the campus that weren't so well-guarded, and that was exactly where she was running towards. She had time, after all, and didn't really mind a bit of extra work to do if she were late. The bad news was that she would suddenly have a reason to be late…

Three minutes later, she had arrived at a place where there were no cars, few buildings, and relative quiet. Sakura smiled as she stopped running and checked the time on her stopwatch. She had arrived her earlier than expected, beating her time by a good minute. Sakura had already broken a good sweat, but she wasn't tired or thirsty.

'I can keep going forever if I want. I'm in the zone!'

And of course, being in the zone meant that she was in tune with her surroundings… and that meant she could sense the three men who had followed her here. "And do you guys like running too, or are you here for something else?" she asked without looking behind her.

One of them spoke up. "So you really _are_ as good as you were a few nights ago, nee-chan."

Sakura sighed and said, "Oh, it's you guys. No, don't say anything, let me guess… Either you're here because of my reputation, or because someone sent you to 'get back' at me."

The man who began talking grimaced. He was six foot one and had the build of a Mack truck- legs like tree trunks, arms the size of a boa constrictor, a chest that looked like a brick wall, and a pissed-off expression to match all that muscle. "What you did to my brother… I can't forgive you. He's never lost, _never_, and you just come in and kick his ass without as much as a blink!"

She turned to look over her left shoulder and said, "Well if he were man enough to show himself here, I'd have a bit more respect for him… just a bit, though."

The big guy gritted his teeth and said, "Bitch, you are going to eat those words. I'll feed them to you with these fists! Kick her ass, you two; but save some for me!"

The two men next to him, similar in build but at least a few inches shorter, came barreling towards her. She didn't have her back turned anymore; almost at the same time, she began running towards them, and when she figured she was at a proper distance, she launched herself into the air and whirled with her right leg extended.

The bad news was that she didn't get the desired effect… she didn't think she ever would, but Sakura did not care. The good news was that it hit them both anyway, twice for each bruiser. It doesn't matter how much muscle one has, a kick is still a kick. Still, they had enough fortitude that it made them stagger backwards without being knocked down.

Problem: Sakura did not stop moving. Immediately targeting the nearest threat, she began laying into him, her right fist ramming into his face, caving it inwards. This was immediately followed by a left body punch to the solar plexus, always a good place to connect.

The combination came so quickly that it was almost untraceable. The poor guy was winded before he had a chance to attack, but as soon as he doubled over, the second guy came charging again, hoping to catch her before she pulled anything crazy out of her ass again.

She didn't have to- she just grabbed the first man by the back of his collar and threw him towards the guy who thought he was strong like bull. The top of the human projectile's head smashed into the incoming brick wall's gut, forcing him to fold like an accordion. That gave Sakura just enough time to get a running start… and use the momentum gained to execute a flying side blade kick to the hapless victim's head.

He was sent flying a split second after.

And to top it all off, she landed right on top of the man she had just used as a 'distraction', one foot ramming his head into the ground while another landed right on his lower back.

Knock out, times two.

"Geez, that wasn't much – ACK!"

She suddenly felt her ribs being caved in by a bear hug from behind that was sure to fracture something if she didn't get out soon. Problem- this guy was a foot taller than she was and more than likely stronger, too. The situation resulted in her arms trapped at her sides, and pain coming from every which way she could imagine. "Wasn't much what, fun? Well I got all the _fun_ you got right here, nee-chan. I'll make sure you never fight again!"

'Damn, hard to breathe,' her mind immediately registered as the hold tightened. Her ribs were starting to complain- if she didn't get out of this, she probably _would_ be out of it for a while. She immediately stomped on the guy's right foot, only to find that he had steel-toed boots on.

Well crap, that wasn't good… the hold tightened.

She tried something else, stepping to her right as much as possible in order to drag him down with her. Within the next second, he'd suddenly feel some serious pain here. In fact, he'd probably wish he were just a bit more careful. Her left fist swung backwards, aiming right for his groin.

His eyes widened as a shocked gasp of pain left his person. Oh, that wasn't fair!

Neither was the elbow to his ribs after she had broken the hold or the spinning roundhouse kick to the outside of his left thigh, just a few inches below the hip. Or the front kick to the front of said thigh, same general area.

His left leg was in a world of hurt as it buckled from those nerve strikes, and Sakura wasted no time in getting into stance for the one single move that would put him down for a few hours. Only this time, she was pumped up for it. There was a grin on her face as she let it charge for a few seconds longer than she usually did.

"Shinkuu…"

The only thing that the thug who had tried to break several ribs had in his mind was, 'Oh, hell.'

"…**Hadouken**!"

BOOM. A ferocious surge of energy lashed out at the hapless fighter from damn near point-blank range, sending him sailing backwards for several meters before landing quite hard on the ground. But he didn't stop there- he bounced once, twice, three times in a row, once off of the back of his head. While that should have knocked him out, it didn't… but he wouldn't be getting back up all that quickly.

"Not half bad- snuck up on me good there! Nice bear hug, too."

Her walk was all too casual as she approached the downed man, his ribs complaining like nothing else. Hell, a few of them may even be broken, since he couldn't move an inch. His left leg was still in pain. The back of his head stung, and he swore he could make out more than one image of the woman who had just handed him and his buddies their asses.

"T-that move… what… what are you?"

She bent over at the waist and grinned brightly towards him. "I'm a street fighter, someone who just looks for a good fight, and that's all. You didn't give me one this time, but I'm sure you could if you got stronger. You've got the potential for it, sure enough!"

She stood up and checked her watch, her eyes widening as she did so. "_Oh, shit_! I'm gonna be late! Sorry, gotta run!"

And she was off again, leaving three very bruised and battered men in her wake.

* * *

Several hours ago, Ryu had successfully landed at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. It appeared that money did have some use after all, though he had no real need for it. Of course, he had to borrow from Ken most of the time, and he still owed him quite a bit, but that was easy to take care of.

Money was of no concern today. In fact, had he not needed to get around so much to find stronger opponents, he wouldn't need it at all. Once again, he felt the surge of power coming from her, and this time it was stronger. Not just because of proximity, but due to concentration as well. He smiled as he looked towards its exact location, which was still a ways off.

'Shinkuu Hadouken, is it? It looks like you've gotten into trouble again.'

Now that he was in the same city, he could tell which attacks Sakura was using, how many, and where she was located. His smile faded as he remembered why he was here, and immediately began taking off at a jog. At this point, he didn't necessarily need a ride- he knew other methods of getting to where he needed to go.

It wasn't that difficult to get from Ōta to Bunkyo – for him or for Akuma – but he was surely closer. He had to be… because if he were not, it wouldn't be pretty. Wherever Sakura was at that moment would become an inferno of destruction if he didn't get there first. Not only that, but Sakura would be gone, and he would more than likely lose her for good.

'I can't let her come under his influence. She's got too much potential for destruction if he does.'

He thought this as he made his way from one rooftop to the other, having leapt up to the first one via his chi. At the moment, he was using it to move faster than his body would normally permit, launching from one building to the next with uncanny speed. He made it a point to contact Ken and find out what exactly Sean was up to – she would need a proper partner to pit herself against, if she didn't already have one.

He would find out soon enough, because within the next few days, Ryu would be reaching his destination. That was, if she were still _there_ in a few days…

* * *

**Round 2: **_**More than Victory**_

This is the beginning. A race against time to see who will get to raise this prodigy of the martial arts into the fighter she is destined to be! Depending on which way I want to swing this, it could get ugly… or it could get awesome. So then, the third chapter will cover her cage fighting career, or at least a small part of it. I won't include a fight in every chapter mind you, but I will include one in the next one! Matter of fact, there might be more than one.

Anyways, who knows what could happen now that both Ansatsuken masters are on the move? When's Ken going to pop up? Am I going to have her fight Makoto or not? Wherever this story goes, please come along for the ride!

EDIT: I got the ward wrong. Sakura and most of her friends go to the University of Tokyo. This'll change what's in the next chapter, too... but never mind.

_Doumo. Bai-bai, minna-san!_


	3. Hana no Senjou

Shinjuku was a busy place this evening, especially for a Wednesday. The busiest commercial center in Japan was bustling as usual, the shops filled with people and the restaurants filled with the smell of great food. The rail lines, continually in motion, shuttled citizens to and from their places of business and places of rest, just like any normal evening.

Amongst the busy streets, a few college students were amongst the crowd, heading towards Shibuya and the nightlife. There were a specific few however that were not headed for that place, but a different one in the extremely busy ward itself. Their figures could be clearly distinguished as they stepped off the platform- a blonde with dark hazel eyes wearing an all too formal black business suit, three guys wearing jeans with two of them wearing buttoned up jackets (apparently they did not want their shirts underneath to be seen yet), and two other girls, both brunettes.

It is the two brunettes that we will focus on for the moment, for they hold importance in this tale for the time being.

One had hair that hung to the small of her back, light brown in color. She had a jacket on as well, made of denim. Her favorite tennis shoes, a plain white in color, were on her feet and a pair of slim-fitting jeans, dark blue in color, fit snugly along her hips and thighs. Underneath the jacket was a black shirt that sported the phrase, "Just Came Out of the Psych Ward" on it in white letters that looked like someone had drawn on a chalk board.

The other had chestnut brown hair that was cut so that it stopped where her neck ended, and was dressed a bit more provocatively. Her jacket was made of soft leather, black in color, and she had a sea green crop top that showed more skin than the woman next to her would have thought possible for her. She also wore a pair of black jeans, and had a backpack that matched her jacket. What it was filled with would be revealed soon enough.

But what struck everyone there as odd was the pair of sunglasses that she wore as well.

"Why would you wear those? It's not even day time," the first brunette said to the other.

The second, and two of the three men behind her, replied with, "Because it looks cool."

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

Ten hours earlier, during breakfast, Sakura Kasugano was approached by one very angry-looking Kei and a Karin with a serious expression on her face. She raised an eyebrow and said, "What did I do now?"

Kei leaned forward and glared at Sakura. "You know perfectly well what you did, Sakura. You should have _told_ me you were doing something so dangerous! What is _with_ you and this whole street fighting thing anyways? I swear, if you get yourself killed…"

Sakura looked towards Karin, who shrugged. She had no idea this outcome would come up. Honest! She wouldn't dare say that she had tipped Kei off about Sakura's source of income, either – that would be ratting out a friend.

The fighter girl sweat dropped and said, "Look, before you go any further, stop talking like you're my mom or something. It's creepy, first of all, and second, I'm not a kid anymore."

Kei pouted and replied with, "Well someone has to…"

Sakura waved her off and finished the sentence for her. "…Look after me, yeah, yeah. But did it ever occur to you that I can look after myself? I mean, what's wrong with wanting to keep my skills up to par? And besides, the payout gets better and better, as long as I keep winning. I don't much care about winning, though… I just want to fight."

Kei sat down next to her and smiled sadly. "But I don't want you to, Sakura. I don't want to see you hurt." She sighed and said, "But I know that once you have your mind set on something, it doesn't change at all. You are being awfully stubborn, you know that?"

Sakura grinned and said, "Well if I turned back now, it wouldn't be any fun!"

The words that Karin had said yesterday rung in her head again. So then, Sakura really was like this- if she wasn't fighting, she was only living half of her life. Karin was quite right, really- if she didn't want to find out about that other side of her life, she wasn't really fit to be around Sakura. Crazy things would happen all the time and she would be worried sick because she never understood how things worked.

"I see." She nodded to herself, her eyes closed. "Well I'm going to go with you this time."

Sakura blinked for a moment, not believing that Kei had said something like that. "What?"

Karin smirked and repeated for her. "Kei is going to watch your matches this evening. And to make sure that she is not too daunted by the scene, I will accompany her." Of course, there was another reason for it, but she didn't think she needed to say it.

Sakura smiled and said, "Kei, I appreciate it."

That single phrase seemed to destroy all of her anger at once. How could Sakura be capable of such kindness and yet get herself all beat up like that? But no, she had already been defused, and there was no help for it now. Kei smiled back and said, "Well if I'm going to ever understand you, I might as well follow you around instead of ask why you do what you do. I've tried that before, and haven't gotten a clear answer yet."

Sakura's smile turned into a grin. "So what you're saying is that someone must have talked you into this, right? You don't have to tell me who- I'm just glad they did."

While Kei sweat dropped, Karin took a nice, long, objective look at Sakura. She had effectively guessed that someone had talked her into going, without even knowing or caring who. Not only that, but while Kei seemed concerned a few seconds ago, and rightfully so, Sakura had reassured her with only a few words instead of a grand explanation.

'I doubt I could do that.'

"So where is this place, anyways?" Kei asked as she got over the sudden loss of her anger. It was a bit disorienting, the effect that Sakura had on her. "Is it far away? If it is, I'd be surprised if you got to classes on time afterwards, Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled confidently and said, "It's in Shinjuku!"

Sakura's friend raised an eyebrow and said, "I see. And how exactly do you get there every time you go?" If she said something stupid, Kei would have a field day with it. But Sakura, once again, surprised her.

"You sound like I would _run_ all the way there. Have a bit of faith in me, Kei; I take the train to Shibuya- Shinjuku is just next to it, after all." She still had that confident smile on her features. "I don't know why you're so worried about this- after all, I do know what I'm doing when it comes to a fight."

Kei smiled, actually relieved. "It _does_ seem like you've planned all this out. Well then, explain to me how all this works… you know, the rules, if there are any."

Sakura looked at Kei for a moment, a bit unsure. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to get lost or confused… there are a lot of them, after all."

Kei gave Sakura her most stubborn expression and said, "Of course I won't get lost! Give me your best shot and don't hold back!"

Sakura sweat dropped and said, "Well, if you say so…"

With that, she explained, in a nutshell, only a few of the rules. There were a few that didn't follow them, and they paid the price, but as for everyone else, it was all about simple skill. No dirty fighting, for one. That meant no fish hooking, eye gouging, and things of that sort. Any sort of small joint locks were out as well.

Second, the fight went until three rounds were up, the other opponent was knocked out or submitted, or until one fighter was kicking so much ass that the other couldn't possibly defend themselves any further. After the end of each round (if no clear winner were found yet), judges gave a point score for each fighter based on offense, defense, combinations, and sheer aggressiveness. Not to mention the actual effort that was made in trying to knock the other person senseless.

Kei grimaced at that last part. A concussion was not exactly a good thing, was it? But at least it was all controlled, or at least it sounded like it. A submission sounded better than being knocked clean out, but they were both ways to end the whole damn thing.

Karin didn't mind, really. Some things had to have rules, or else it'd all descend into chaos. She wouldn't really bother entering the thing herself- she preferred an _actual_ fight instead of all that. But she knew that Sakura did as well… the only thing with her was that this was just another way of getting better at what she did best, another route to the overall goal she had in mind.

'She doesn't care _how_; she is simply looking for a good fight.'

"I get it," Kei said with a smile, "Seems pretty simple to me. But I still don't like it. If you're knocked out, it could be bad for you, right? I mean, I can't help but worry about you going to these things in the first place, and now I'm going to be watching you fight."

Sakura grinned and said, "Then don't worry, just watch and cheer!" The grin faded into a smile as she continued speaking. "Besides, it doesn't matter if I lose- I just want to find someone stronger than I am, that's all. So far, there's no hold I haven't escaped and no situation I couldn't handle. It's all thanks to Ryu in the first place that I'm able to do all this, even though I don't have all of his training."

Kei lowered her head slightly and said, "You know, you'll have to introduce me to him one day. If he's as much of an influence as you say, maybe I would understand why you want to be like him so badly. But until that day comes, please let me watch your fights."

Sakura nodded and said, "You got it! I won't let you down, Kei."

And then they heard someone clearing their throat, to Sakura's right. "Um, sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear… you guys said you were heading to Shinjuku?"

Kei looked in the direction of the voice, and her face brightened considerably. "Tanaka-san! It's good to see you again."

Sakura looked at Kei for a moment, wondering what guy she was hooked onto this time, and how exactly he could make her face brighten up so much. Then she took a look at the guy in question, and her brown eyes seemed to stare right through him. Yet at the same time, he stared right back, raising an eyebrow along with it.

Sakura kept this up for a few more moments, and then grinned. "I like you. You got good eyes, Tanaka-san."

He smiled and said, "I'm relieved. For a moment, I figured you didn't trust me. My name's Akio, by the way."

Of course, neither of them noticed that the other two stooges behind him, Daisuke and Seiji, had caught her gaze as well, and had fierce blushes on their faces. She had unknowingly pierced them with her stare as well, and they weren't so immune to it. The only thought they had in their heads at the moment was that the object of their fandom had looked at them with the most direct stare they had ever been hit with.

"This is unreal," Seiji said with a grin, "I'm standing in front of the 'Whirlwind' herself!"

Sakura blinked for a moment and said, "Who are those two, and how do they know what I'm called in my fights?"

They gawked at her, realizing their error. "You didn't see us?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head and said, "Sorry, no. Not right away, anyways."

Their heads lowered as they both sighed in tandem. Well this day was sucking already, wasn't it? But hey, at least Akio had an idea, right? He had said they'd get to meet her, and they were already standing in front of her, having made the first mistake of the day. But he always had a way to pull them out of the hole they had dug for themselves, right?

"Well, we figured," Akio said with an exasperated sigh, "That you'd let us tag along with you. I mean, these two really want to see you fight, and since they know more about all this than I do, well… I figured I'd let them see these fights for real."

Sakura shrugged and said, "I don't mind, really. Besides, Kei needs a date- she hasn't had one in so long."

Kei blushed and stammered, "W-w-what do you mean by that, Sakura? I mean, w-we just met yesterday and you're already talking about dates?"

Sakura looked over to her and said frankly, "But you two are so cute together! And I can tell you like him, so what's the big deal? Just treat this as a date and don't worry about me so much." She looked towards Akio and said, "You don't mind, right?"

He had a sweat drop on his face, but other than that, he smiled and replied, "Of course not. I'd be honored to escort you to the event, Chitose-san."

Kei's blush seemed to deepen. Anymore, and she'd look like a plum. "This is ridiculous! We're just friends, Sakura-chan."

Sakura grinned and said, "You know, that's a cute expression on your face, Kei. I wish I had my camera, so I could capture it forever. You know I could always give it to Kanzuki-san here and have her take a few pictures of you two for me…"

Kei outright panicked. "N-no, that's perfectly fine, thank you! I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea, not like they don't already, but…" At that point, her speech dissolved into an almost incoherent jumble. Karin couldn't help but laugh at the whole thing, since she could guess with some accuracy that Sakura was joking around. Of course, this had yet to be confirmed- Sakura could be awfully blunt about things sometimes.

But of course, Sakura couldn't hold it in forever. She finally laughed, and Karin's suspicions were confirmed when she said, "You're too easy to tease, Kei-chan! It's too funny!"

Kei pouted, her head still lowered. "Meanie," she said softly. The blush eventually faded and she lifted her head. "So when does this start, anyways?"

* * *

And so here they were, in a secret location in Shinjuku. And to be honest, they had gotten there two hours early- the fights started at nine in the evening. Sakura had time to head towards the locker rooms while everyone else went to go get a seat. Thing about it was that the place already looked half-full, and it made Kei stare in wonder.

"This many people come to see this?"

Karin chuckled and said, "You'd be surprised at how many fans of the sport there are. And before you say anything about how they're all brutes, take note that most of them have actually done their homework. You might hear the crowd here go crazy for something that seems rather insignificant, but to those who are truly paying attention, it could very well mean that the fight is over, and in a skillful and gracefully executed manner."

Akio smirked and said, "And then there are those that just want to see the female fighters in bike shorts." He tactfully added, "Rest assured, I'm not one of them."

Kei frowned and said, "I didn't say you were."

But then, she looked over towards his two friends. And what she heard them talking about made her want to punch them. Hard.

"Hey… who do you think is going to be the hottest chick in the ring?" Seiji asked. "I mean, besides Sakura-chan."

Daisuke placed a hand on his chin and said, "Well, I always did have a thing for the cute girl who held the round cards. She sure as hell gives a lot of fan service, that's for certain! Then again, there was the winner of last week's fight just before she got stomped. I sure hope she comes back soon."

Seiji frowned and said distastefully, "She just looks like someone picked her up from the street corner. My money's on Sakura for the best looking fighter tonight. Are you sure you're really her fan?"

Daisuke shrugged and said, "As far as technical skill goes, she's above and beyond, but there are better looking girls out there. I have to admit though; she does paint a pretty image in the mind when she's wearing that-"

Kei took this point to intervene. "I don't want to hear it! It doesn't paint a pretty image in my mind, for all these men to be just gawking at her. So if I were you, I'd watch where your eyes are looking, idiots!" With that, she pouted and looked towards the cage, her worries intensifying. That pretty much shut them up for the rest of their wait time.

'I said I wouldn't be worried… but I might have underestimated this whole situation just a bit.'

Karin smiled and placed a hand on Kei's right shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about that. Watching someone beat the tar out of their opponent detracts from any groping tendencies. Besides, she has you and me to back her up, just in case, right?"

Kei was somewhat surprised at Karin's sympathy towards her. She would usually think of her as lower than her somehow, but perhaps the meaning of understanding a person had become clear to the Kanzuki heir- in order to understand something or someone, you first have to be willing to stand _under_ that person or thing.

"Thank you Karin-san," she said with a grateful smile.

Karin nodded and said, "Don't mention it. Besides," she added with a smirk, "I refuse to let anyone defeat Sakura other than me."

Sakura's best friend sweat dropped, but wasn't surprised. "I figured it would be something like that."

With that, the fights were announced, but the first few sets were without Sakura. Still, Karin seemed interested enough to point out to Kei what she should look for. Of course, she had studied and mastered multiple styles of martial arts and combined them into her own brand of fighting, so much like Sakura, she was able to discern subtle shifts in the match.

Only that Sakura had been training for a much, much shorter time than she had. For her, it was natural; an intuition. And she supported that intuition with training, and training led to real, true skill. Sakura had become more than just a girl with an ambition. But now was the moment when Karin would discover how much she had grown.

Still, that didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy the show while it lasted.

"That position there… He's trying to finish it." Kei looked down and took notice of how the two men in the cage were standing… or rather, sitting on the ground. One of them was sitting right on top of the other, ramming his fists into the face of the hapless defender, who was attempting to ward off the blows with his forearms. He was doing a damn good job so far, too.

"He looks like he's in trouble," Kei said worriedly. What if this happened to Sakura?

Karin smiled and closed her eyes. "Don't turn away. Keep watching. You'll see what I mean soon enough."

Kei reluctantly lifted her head, just in time to see… "Wait, what is he…?"

Soon enough, it came. The poor guy on top had gotten overconfident, and as soon as he reeled back for a final, finishing punch… the attack was caught and dragged down while the defender turned onto his right side. Left leg steps over the right, the elbow pushes the now trapped leg out, and the right leg was free. The left followed suit soon after…

And within three seconds, it was done as the fighter who used to be dominating submitted to a triangle choke.

Karin smiled and said, "You see? Someone could always make a mistake."

The crowd exploded as the referee ended the fight. Kei couldn't help but wonder if Sakura could do something like that… but before she could ask, Karin said, "Now Sakura, she wouldn't let it _get_ that far. No, she would rather keep on her feet than get knocked down like that; either that, or be the one on top, beating her opponent's face in. And she wouldn't be one to make such a grand show out of finishing, either."

Kei smiled weakly, not that sure of the statement. "If you say so…"

* * *

As soon as the two fighters cleared themselves from the ring, the lights blacked out, and Kei squeaked in surprise. Several lights came on near the entryways however, and it made her wonder what was going to happen next. The cries from Seiji and Daisuke however made it very clear what time it was.

"SHOW TIME!" they both shouted, almost in time with the announcer.

Kei blinked, entirely confused. "Um, someone please explain what's going on."

Karin looked towards Kei with a grin and said, "It's the main event. I'm sure you've been wondering where Sakura has been all this time, right? Well, watch and see…"

Fortunately for them, they had gotten rather good seats, so they could see her coming. But first, the challenger was announced. Since they couldn't see him, they could only guess what kind of guy he was from the announcer's words. Saito Umehara was five feet, nine inches and weighed in at damn near 165 pounds, a good weight for a heavy bruiser.

His style was mostly Thai boxing, mixed in with Judo groundwork. The main thing about him was his speed- he was capable of flash knockouts before the other fighter could get a clear shot, and sometimes won matches in one clean shot. Because of his sharp, vicious blows and aggression, he was called the "Tiger", and had lost only five times in his entire career. There were only two draws- the rest of them were twenty-six successive wins, with eight by knockout.

He was a badass, to put it short.

He sported a pair of black shorts with red trim and wore gloves that were custom-made- they did indeed have a tiger stripe print on them. Then again, when one had a name, one tended to have something done to emphasize that name. At least, sometimes they did.

As he entered the ring, he had a bored look on his face as the announcer wound on and on about how he had rarely lost a match and was capable of knocking his opponent down in one shot. He didn't much care about his record- it had gotten boring as of late. Being able to knock someone down with one blow before they could even defend themselves intelligently was a mighty awesome skill, but he didn't want it if it made the fight uninteresting.

He was age twenty-seven and already felt like he was beginning to hit his ceiling.

And then, the spotlights swiveled to the other entryway, a brief hush coming over to the crowd.

"And here comes your rising star, the flower of the battlefield, the newcomer who has torn through her opponents and clawed her way up the ladder to victory! And ever since she started last year, she has remained undisputed! That's right; our heroine has never lost a single match!"

Kei's eyes widened. She hadn't lost _once_?

"The Whirlwind, _Sakura Kasugano_!"

A figure walked out of the entranceway, and Kei drew in a breath of wonder as the crowd exploded. Thus far, the top half of her face was obscured by shadow, the hood of her sea green robe covering her head, and the expression on her features couldn't be seen yet. The grappling gloves of the same color – she never wore her red gloves to these things; those were for special occasions – had the fingers attached to the thick padding, with the thumb closed.

Kei thought she was amazing. She didn't know why, but the sight captivated her.

Sakura was five feet, seven inches, and weighed less than one hundred and twenty pounds, which was nothing special compared to her opponent. And yet, the fact that she hadn't been defeated yet, even against enemies that had been bigger, stronger, and faster, made her a force to be reckoned with. Kei couldn't take her eyes off of her, not once.

"This isn't Sakura… this can't be her. She was never this…"

Karin interjected for Kei, finishing her sentence. "…Cool? She always acted goofy, uninterested? She never wore those kinds of clothes before, or walked that way?"

Kei nodded.

Karin smiled and said, "Watch her. This is what you're missing."

Seiji and Daisuke both shouted, hoping to reach above the noise of the crowd. "**Kick his ass, Sakura-chan**!"

Karin shook her head and said, "She's not going to hear you. Hell, she probably doesn't even hear the crowd around her."

The two of them looked towards her and said at the same time, "Damn, you're a mean one!" Seiji added, "Why can't you let us have our fun? Are you that much of a bitch?"

She sighed and said, "I knew you would take it the wrong way. Look at her…" They did. "She's not enthusiastic, not reaching out for the crowd as they reach for her, not even saying her thanks. It's not because she's cold or insensitive, it's because right now, they do not matter. She's keeping her eyes straight forward, locked on one point of reference."

Karin then pointed from Sakura and drew an imaginary line towards her opponent. "She's focused on her target- she has to be, or else she wouldn't be who she was." Karin folded her arms in satisfaction and said, "This is why she has remained undefeated- it's not because of her attacks, which no doubt have improved. It's because she focuses all of her will into one single target, and everything else fades into background noise."

Kei smiled and thought, 'Go for it, Sakura. Forgive me for worrying so much about you.'

* * *

Before stepping into the cage, Sakura took the time to take off that luminous robe of hers, allowing it to pool at her feet. She was barefoot, as per regulations, but the rest of her was clad in all the same color as the robe was. The grappling shorts had white trim and her sports bra, which showed most of her midriff, was almost entirely devoid of wording. It wasn't like she needed anything on there anyways.

Umehara raised an eyebrow as her intense stare fixed him in place. He couldn't help but think that she looked like some little kid that had decided she wanted to be a star or something. Saito had a hard time believing that she hadn't lost a single match in her entire first year here… then again, if it were true, it wasn't just luck.

'But why are they putting me up against some kid who weighs not even one-tenth I do? She probably punches like a feather and kicks like a reed in the wind.'

After a while however, she smiled, opened her arms in a gesture of welcome, and said sweetly, "Youkoso! Seems there are some strong fighters here, too. I'm just dying to see that one-hit wonder you've got packing."

He smirked and said, "Look, kid… I would love to show it to you, but I figure I won't need it. When the first punch comes flying your way, you'll probably want to run back home to your momma. Tell you what, though," he said as he stood from his crouching position in the far left corner, "You land one shot on me, and I'll take you seriously. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's within the rules."

She grinned and said, "Oh, no- I'd rather you hit me first. Or at least, try to."

He blinked and thought to himself, 'Geez… this kid isn't just naïve, she's nuts. Well fine, if she wants it that badly…'

They both walked towards the center of the ring, where the referee was waiting for them. "All right, you both know the rules. But this has happened before, so I want to make one thing clear. I don't want anyone shying away from this or refusing to engage. You don't make a move within thirty seconds of me calling a start, and I take off a point as a warning. Do it again, and you forfeit. Got that?"

They both nodded at the same time.

"Good. Fight hard, but fight clean. Touch gloves and come out of your corners swinging."

They touched gloves, and Sakura retreated towards her staging area. She could already tell from the bored look on his face that he expected this to be easy. His spirit had grown weak by the sheer ease of his victories, and he was going to pay for that. She wasn't going to hold back on this one, either. But first, in order to beat him, she had to see what he could do.

Saito on the other hand, did not expect this to be amusing at all. "The poor kid looks like she lives off of a strawberry a day. She won't be able to take my punches… so I'll be merciful and end this in one shot. Honestly," he said with a sigh, "This won't be worth my time at all."

They had reached their corners. The referee pointed towards Saito. "Ready!" He got into stance. Then he pointed towards Sakura. There was no longer a smile on her face, simply that undisturbed calm that she had as she entered the ring. Her piercing stare was once again fixed on Umehara. "Ready!" She assumed a stance as well. He looked between them for a moment before slicing his left hand downwards.

"**Engage**!"

Saito was the first to move out of his corner, and he was approaching quickly. Sakura was a split second behind him, and though they approached carefully, the distance between them was still closed quickly. His first jab was aimed for her chin, dead on target. Quick and sharp, it was designed to knock her senseless with one shot.

Sakura parried it, batting it to her right before it reached its point of impact. A second parry as she moved her head out of the way. A third jab and she moved her hand up to parry, just before he suddenly switched to a left body hook… and Sakura lowered her right arm just enough to block.

He was undaunted. Surprised, sure- so far, she was blocking his strikes without hesitation. And that look was still on her face. But he wasn't daunted. No, he just kept on coming. Left hook was followed by another left hook, to her head, only to be blocked again.

He began moving faster. Left hook turned into a two punch combination, right jab, left cross. Both blocked. Then he started throwing elbows. Now it had gotten to the point where his strikes began to cut through the air like a set of razor blades, and yet she was able to spot them despite how fast he moved.

"Incredible," The announcer shouted. "His legendary speed has met a road block! Kasugano is executing a perfect defense, but it looks like she has no room to attack either! This fight has quickly turned into a _stalemate_!"

Sakura's face did not change- she had reached another place in her mind altogether. She did not flinch or wince, simply received his attacks in a manner akin to a reinforced steel door. Saito on the other hand had a grimace on his face as all of his striking work was rebuffed. 'Damn, she's quicker than I expected! I can't get through with my attacks. All right then…'

With that, he feinted with a left hook, his shoulder rotating to initiate the attack. Sakura moved to block, and then he turned it into an elbow, which she ducked. 'Bingo!'

Right knee, straight for her face!

An audible smack was heard as Sakura's left forearm rammed against the top of the right thigh. Saito's eyes widened. 'There's no way! Her reaction time is insane!' Left knee, blocked again, and Sakura was back in her defensive stance just in time to slip his left cross.

"Is this all you have?" Sakura asked, sounding disappointed.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Don't toy with me, kid! I'll break more than just your heart!" With that, he began getting serious, exploding forward with his right knee in a forward thrust. Sakura was forced to hop backwards, and the second knee followed right after, chasing her down. But it was the third knee that did the trick, or rather it was supposed to.

Launching off of his left leg as soon as he planted it, he rammed his right knee forward, aiming for Sakura's solar plexus. If it hit, it'd do more than just wind her… it would keep on going upwards, cutting into her like the business end of a sword. Sakura on the other hand was not too worried. She rolled to her right, allowing him to fly onwards.

The announcer wasn't all that casual, though. "_Insane_! One of Umehara's ruthless moves, the Tiger's Teeth, was completely avoided! It was a narrow miss, but still a sure shot at knocking someone to the mat! This match is just heating up!"

He landed… and turned towards Sakura just in time to see her dusting herself off. "Wow that was scary. It seems that you do have a few tricks after all."

He growled and said, "Stay still and let me hit you, kid. I'll show you my flash knockout for real this time!"

With that, he blazed toward her, his impressive leg strength pushing him towards his prey within a fraction of a second. He stayed low, prepared for any sort of incoming strikes, and kept his guard up, staying wary of leg attacks. What he wasn't watching for was the part where she would advance toward him at the same time…

"Not bad!" And roll right over his back as he advanced towards her.

But it didn't stop there. As she skipped backwards and settled back into stance, she found herself beset upon again by another rush. 'Faster than expected! Good!' And with that, a huge left straight came upon her. Sakura managed to duck, but barely, as it passed right over her head, causing her short hair to kick up a bit from the air that was displaced.

"His speed is the stuff of legends, fans. When he strikes, it comes like lightning! It looks like the Tiger has finally unleashed his claws!" The announcer was getting fired up now- he was really into it, but then again, so was the crowd. The cheering had not stopped as the shift in dominance changed quickly.

And while Sakura was down there, she had just enough time to roll backwards to avoid another flying knee. Still, with all this going on, her mind was still entirely clear of thought. She had fought this style before, knew its ins and outs from having battled against it. He was trying to saw her in two, and while that was a fair tactic, it wasn't the best one.

He growled and said, "Sit still, you little runt!"

She had to keep from launching an attack at him too early. But he was pressing hard, attempting to take her down with even more zeal now. The thing about that was Sakura remained cool, despite his burning flames. 'I haven't seen everything yet. There has to be more that I haven't looked at.'

It was obvious to a few in the crowd what she was doing now… obvious to all but one.

"What is she doing? Why is she not attacking him?" She looked towards Karin and said, "Can you explain why she's running away and only defending? As far as I have heard, that's not the way to win."

Karin placed a hand on her chin and said, "You don't see the genius of her strategy, do you?" She was entirely focused on the action on the ring while she spoke. "I have since learned from fighting Sakura that she has an eidetic memory. Any move she sees once, she can reproduce within a short time and with frightening speed. But she's not trying to reproduce any style except Ryu's – she's stubborn like that. So what she's doing here…"

Kei finished the sentence for her, understanding the picture. But she still couldn't believe it. "…Is _reading his moves_. She's analyzing him!" Kei grinned and said, "Then it's already been decided?"

Karin nodded and said, "Sadly for him, yes. Within the next minute or so, she will attack, and it will be decisive. I suggest you watch until the very end. You'll see that his speed won't matter an inch against someone like Sakura."

Of course, Karin's prediction was soon right as he finally shot for Sakura's legs, hoping for a takedown. This was his absolute limit – he couldn't take any more dancing around. "**Go down already**!"

Sakura sighed and said, "That must be all then." With that, she proceeded to halt his progress with a knee strike to his body, making him pop upwards just a bit… before she executed a sacrifice throw with her left leg ramming into his gut before he was sent flying onto his upper back and shoulders.

Karin cringed as the opponent rammed into the mat. "That's not the worst part…"

The crowd was going wild. It was simply too late to stop what was coming next as Sakura rolled along with him, still moving even as the short throw was finished. As soon as she had reached where she wanted to be, which was in high mount position, she secured her legs on his rib cage and said, "Sorry, this might hurt a bit."

She began beating the ever living crap out of him, one punch after another ramming into Umehara's head. He was lucky that her gloves were padded, or else this would hurt worse than it already did. The first punch already made him see multiple images of her, and the subsequent ones messed up his face something awful.

After five seconds of this, the referee called the fight.

Kei leapt out of her seat, going crazy with the crowd. She was lost; lost and gone for good. Now she knew why Sakura loved fighting – it was hard _not_ to get into it! The performance made Karin stand up and clap politely, a smile on her face. Yes, this was the Sakura that everyone was missing. How suitable a rival for her! Not to mention that she was getting more than just her own self paid this evening.

'I love betting on these things once in a while, especially when it's a sure thing like you, Sakura.'

Sakura stood, raised her fist, and grinned widely. To think that she didn't even have to use her real moves for him! Sure, she wanted to… but she didn't want to waste her energy on these kinds of battles. It was a shame, because she really wanted to see what else she had.

'I had it all planned in my head, too… see his moves, counter them, finish the fight. It looks like he got a bit rash there at the end… but oh well!'

With that, she began heading out of the ring, the chants of the crowd echoing in her ears…

* * *

**Round 3: _Hana no Senjou – Flower of the Battlefield_**

Sorry, I had to do something like this.

So how is it so far, hmm? I promise that I'll get to the good stuff later. For now, do enjoy this little peek inside Sakura's world and see how she actually gets things done. I promise it won't be as easy as it's been before- she is going to lose sooner or later, and to more than just Ryu. The fights are going to get nasty from here on in.

Anyways, I'm sleepy now and need bed. So I'm going to see you all tomorrow, k?

EDIT: Well how about that? I actually got the title wrong. But hey, I'm learning things on the way. Do bear with me as this constantly evolving story is prone to make a few changes on the fly.

_Matane_!


	4. Surge of Power

The next day found Sakura once again in the gym, busting her butt in yet another training session. But this time, for some reason, Karin was here with her. Her hands were braced against a brand new heavy bag as her long-standing rival's fists rammed into it with concussive force, threatening to tear a hole in the tough hide of the training device.

They both wore their warm-ups, and while Sakura's were black this time, Karin's were a dark blue with a grey crop top and dark blue bag gloves. She would encourage and tease Sakura to punch harder, if she didn't already feel the impact of her strikes moving into through the bag, right into her forearms. She was _already_ hitting hard.

Kei had been too tired to go with them from last night's adventure, but she had come away with a valuable understanding of how Sakura's mind worked. Or at least, she thought so. It didn't mean she wouldn't be worried, just that her anxieties were less prominent now than they were before.

Pop, pop-pop the bag went as Sakura continued laying into it, her fists burying themselves three inches into the bag with every strike. Head, body, jab, straight, hook… continuous, unrelenting strikes, one after another in a torrent. She almost didn't hear her stopwatch beeping, signaling the end of three minutes.

"Great," Karin said with a look of approval. "You've been getting better without any real help, I see."

Sakura scratched the back of her head and said, "You think so? I guess it's from watching all those clips from my fights, seeing how other people fought, things like that. I never really had anyone teach me anything. Is that… bad?"

Karin chuckled and said, "Goodness, no. It's nowhere near bad. You could say that you have a keen instinct for fighting." She leaned up against a wall and continued her analysis. "I mean, without a conscious thought entering your mind, you realized what they were doing, how they were doing it, and began to practice until you were able to do it as well. And I'm betting that despite all your studies and schoolwork and life in general, you were able to improve to a professional level."

Sakura shrugged and said, "I don't really know about all that other stuff, but you're right about the training. Still…" She sighed and added, "I can only go so far by myself."

Karin looked up towards her and said, "…Ryu. You still want to learn from him."

Sakura nodded. "It _has_ to be him. I copied his techniques, but I'm missing something from all three of them. I can't put my finger on what that _is_ yet."

Karin pushed off from the wall and said, "I don't think so. The moves you have are already good enough to beat me with, so why do you need to improve them?" She turned towards her and folded her arms over her chest. "It's almost like you like the guy or something. I can't blame you," she said with a smirk, "He is quite handsome and looks very heroic."

Sakura shook her head and said, "It's not that. I mean, I respect him, I think he's a great guy, but I'm not romantically interested. I just…" She clenched her right fist and said, "There's so much I could learn from him. Sure, I'm getting better at just plain old fighting, but I'm not any old fighter. I want to go as high as I can, and if there's no ceiling, I want to go forever."

Karin shrugged and said, "If that's the way you feel about it, then why not go looking for him again?"

Sakura smiled and said, "School kind of makes that difficult. My parents are practically paying out of their pockets for this whole thing, even with my scholarship, which I was lucky to get for just plain running fast. I can't just leave now when all that's going on. Still, I sure wish I could. I mean, with the money I've got from all my fights, I could practically take a trip right now, but I've got things to do."

Karin shook her head and said, "Look, I can understand all that, but I am certain that everyone will understand if you simply explained to them."

Sakura laughed and said, "Yeah, as if that would work!"

It was then that a voice came from the door which they had used to enter the building. "You won't have to – I already have."

Sakura's talent of speaking English wasn't just relegated to speaking it- she could understand it as well. Of course, there was only one who felt confident enough to speak his native language in front of her. She had met him once, even fought by his side, but didn't ever expect to run into him again.

"How did you find me?" she asked without turning around.

He grinned and said, "Isn't hard to find someone that's so popular. It didn't take long to look you up, and as soon as I found out what you were up to, I wanted to see for myself. All that after one year on the amateur circuit, huh?" He laughed and added, "As if _you_ belong with the amateurs."

Sakura scratched the back of her head as a blush formed on her features. "But I do belong with the amateurs! I'm just not good enough to actually get into the real thing, you know?"

Karin glared towards Sakura and said, "Where are your manners? Face him when you're talking to him!"

The blond man wearing a red muscle shirt, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a sports jacket that was left open laughed and said, "And I can see you haven't changed as well! You need to chill out, you know that? Otherwise, people are gonna think you're a real jerk."

Karin blushed and lowered her head. "I've… improved in that regard."

Sakura turned around to face the man and asked, "So then, Mr. Masters, would you mind telling me what the occasion for your unexpected visit is?" in perfect, unbroken English.

His expression turned serious at her question. "Not here… the walls might have ears. You two mind coming with me?" Karin blinked, but before she could say anything, Ken continued speaking. "Yeah, both of you, just in case." Then he smiled and added, "Besides, I'm sure that Eliza and Mel would love to meet you!"

Sakura and Karin looked towards each other, then towards the United States martial arts champion.

"Give us time to get ready," Sakura said with a smile of her own.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

"You need _what_ again?"

This was Ken as he talked to Ryu several hours earlier from his home in Malibu, California. It was early in the morning and he had just been woken up by the annoying ring of his phone, only to hear his old friend. It was a shame that he sounded so serious.

"I said I need you to get down here, as soon as you can. Sorry, but I can't explain right now – I'm wasting time just talking to you now. I need you to head exactly where I tell you, just in case I don't get there first. Can you do this for me?"

Ken blinked sleepily, attempting to figure out why a sudden trip to Japan was needed… but never mind. Ryu never had a bad reason for anything he did. But he had to ask anyways. "Hey… is everything okay? I mean, you sound tense."

Silence on the other line for a few moments, and then a haggard sigh. "Yeah… there is something wrong. Something I can't explain at the moment. Just trust me, all right? I'll make everything clear soon."

Ken ran a hand through his hair and said, "Geez, man… you can be really pushy sometimes. All right, if I move fast enough, I can book a flight today. I'll get started now and see if Eliza can't be convinced to stay here. I have a feeling this could get ugly."

The blond could almost feel Ryu's grateful smile as he heard, "Doumo arigatou, Ken-san. Matane."

"Matane," Ken said with a smile in return before they both hung up. Then he sighed. "Shit… does he always have to get in a pinch at the worst times?" He placed a hand underneath his chin and said, "Then again, he didn't say _he_ was in trouble. He'd have said it outright if he were."

He looked towards the bedroom which he had stepped out of just a few minutes ago and thought about the woman that was sleeping within. He smiled and said, "She'd probably kill me if I told her to stay here. And even if she agreed, she'd be worried as all hell about me. Far be it for me to have her worry."

With that, he walked back inside and found Eliza staring at him with her clear, green eyes. "Was it Ryu?"

He nodded, not even bothering to argue. He doubted that she had heard the conversation, but she had effectively guessed who it was anyway. "Says there's a problem I need to help him with, ASAP. And that means I have to head on a little business trip, starting immediately."

Eliza smiled and said, "And if I said that I didn't want you to go?"

Ken scratched the back of his head and said, "Well you know how it is. I get the call, I answer it, take care of business, and get back as soon as I can catch a flight." He walked over towards his wife and said as he sat down on the bed, "Besides, you know how we are – he's like a brother to me. More so than my _real_ one," he added with a laugh. "I can't just say no; I have to find out what's wrong."

"I see," she said with an understanding smile. "Well then, if it's important enough for you, than it's important for me as well. I'm going too."

Well, cue a sweat drop here.

"Ah, see… that's the problem." He placed a hand on Eliza's right shoulder and said, "You know those times when you get a feeling that something entirely twisted is about to happen?"

Eliza rolled her eyes in amusement and said, "I get those every time I watch you fight, and yet they're always wrong."

Ken grinned and said, "Hey, well the _rest_ of the time you're right about them. Kinda scares me sometimes!" Then his expression turned serious and said, "I can't let you come with me this time. This is one of those times that _I_ have one of those feelings, and I've learned to trust them when they come along, rare as they are."

Eliza gave him a pout and said, "Well that's not too fair, is it? You get into something potentially life-threatening, and I have to stay here and worry about you? If anything, I need to be there to patch you up if something _does_ happen."

Ken nodded and said, "While I would usually agree with that logic, this time you could very well be in the line of fire. If something happened to you…"

She poked his nose and said, "Then you would be the one who'd have to patch me up, for once." She folded her arms beneath her breasts stubbornly and said, "Besides, you'd never let that happen in the first place, right? And for good measure, I'll be bringing Mel with me. You still need to train him, and he's been so into it since you started."

Ken frowned and said, "Is everyone ragging on me today? I swear there's a conspiracy against me." With that, he nodded and said, "Gotcha. I'll bring you both along, but this time I want you to be extra cautious. I'm not dealing with the yakuza or anything; rest assured. Still, this could get very ugly, very quickly."

Eliza wrapped her arms around him and said, "All the more reason why we should go together. Besides, it's been boring around here without Sean." She looked up towards him and added, "It was kind of mean to just send him away like that, you know?"

Ken rolled his eyes and said, "The kid was getting on my nerves, constantly insisting that I teach him over and over and over again, like some kind of broken record. Besides, the only way he'll ever learn is if he learns it _himself_, with his own moves. Heck, I made up my own moves based off of what I learned from my master and Ryu; he should go for his own style as well."

Eliza grinned and said, "Sounds like someone _else_ you told me about."

Ken nodded and said, "Yeah, but she's got more drive than he does." With that, he stood up, stretched his arms out, and said, "I gotta get the travel arrangements set up. Would you do me a favor and wake Mel up? Tell him to pack for at least three days."

She nodded and got out of bed, getting ready for what was sure to be a quite interesting day.

Ken on the other hand, was not so… excited.

'What the hell is going on, Ryu? Who is it that you want me to help, if not you?'

* * *

Since he had arrived, Ken had been attempting to get a hold of Ryu again, and had no luck in the matter for several hours. When he finally got a hold of him, it was by sheer luck, really. Walking out onto the balcony of his luxurious room in order to get a bit better reception, he said, "Where have you _been_, man? I've been trying to call you for a while now…"

Ryu replied in an apologetic manner, which made Ken calm down considerably. "Sorry about that. I can't exactly give you information when I'm on the move. So then, you wanted to know why you were sent down here."

Ken nodded and said, "Yeah. You gonna tell me?"

Ryu paused for a few moments, and then said, "Do you remember Sakura?"

Ken smiled and said, "Yeah. That kid who wanted you to train her, right? She's not half bad, really. Why do you ask?"

Ryu responded almost immediately. "She's getting stronger, on her own, and doing it faster than I expected. I could sense her ki from all the way in China."

Ken blinked for a moment, confused. "And you were in China for how long?"

Ryu sighed and said, "That's beside the point. Normally, I'd have to be at a considerably close range in order to sense when she was using Hadou. But now, I'm able to pick up her energy, though faint, at a distance. You do know what that means, right?"

Ken shook his head and said, "Not really, but I'm getting the feeling that you're not really thrilled about all this. I mean, isn't her getting stronger a good thing?"

Ryu nodded and said, "Yes, usually. But she hasn't had anyone teach her. With that kind of power left unchecked and unfocused, it could really hurt someone. Not to mention that if I can sense her from that distance, someone else can sense her from even farther."

Ken had to think for a moment, considering who else would be able to have Sakura ping on their radar… and then his eyes widened. "You mean Akuma?" He'd have laughed if he thought that Ryu was kidding. As soon as he realized who he was talking about, Ken knew why he was called here. "You think he's gonna be gunning for her, don't you."

An almost relieved response came from the other line. "Yes, that's exactly right."

Ken nodded sagely and said, "And just in case you don't make it first… you want me to get her out of wherever it is she's at."

Ryu nodded on the other end. "Bingo. How quickly do you think you can make it to the University of Tokyo tomorrow?"

Ken shrugged and said, "Damn fast, from here. But are you sure that Sakura will want to go with this? I mean what if she doesn't know that she can't fight this guy at her current level? She's probably going to try anyways, right?"

His good friend said gravely, "If she doesn't know, inform her of it in the best way you know how. Either way, I need you to get her out of harm's way. If Akuma shows up first, I don't know what's going to happen. I might make it there before he does, but in case I don't, make sure to get Sakura to a safe location."

Ken smiled and said, "You got it. I'll get on it first thing. There anything else you want to tell me before I do this?"

Ryu scratched the back of his head and said, "Well it's more like a question than a piece of info. How's Sean?"

Ken sighed and said, "How many people are going to keep asking me about him?" He shook his head and said, "Never mind. The last I heard of him, he tried to win another tournament – got busted up in the process. I sure hope he's all right."

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "So you're not training him anymore? I thought he was so set on it that..."

Ken finished the sentence for him. "That he tried to talk me to death? Yeah, that's him all right. He's been training on his own for a while now, but it doesn't look like he's gotten anywhere."

The other end of the line was silent for a while before Ryu said softly, "Train him, Ken."

Ken sweat dropped and said, "What, so he can bug me some more? Dude, I'm already training my son, I don't need extra work load on me. Besides, he's got enough talent that he can make up his own moves. Why should I help him along?"

Ryu was still quiet, still sounded patient. "Because he's just like you when we were kids, he has a passion for it. His spirit burned to learn it, and he wants to work hard to become just as good, if not better, than someone who is considered a master of the very art he saw just once."

Ken was silent. Ryu was starting to sound like one of those old masters on those kung fu movies, except he was age twenty-nine instead of… _that_ age. After a while, he said, "I'll think about it. But then, wouldn't that make Sakura like you? She's not just looking for a good fight; she's got a natural, raw talent for it. I mean, how long did it take her to learn our style anyways?"

Ryu started saying something, paused, and then said, "I don't know. We didn't get a chance to talk seriously during our last two encounters."

Ken nodded to himself and said, "I'll get her out of there. But once I do, I want you to head over to the hotel I'm staying at as soon as you get done with whatever you're doing. If you're going to force me to train Sean, I'm going to make you train Sakura just as hard."

Ryu nodded and said, "There's no forcing here, Ken; I was going to teach her anyway. It's about time for her to learn seriously."

Ken grinned and said, "Oh, this is gonna be damn interesting then. We have a deal! You take care of Sakura, and I'll show Sean the ropes from now on. Maybe then he'll actually make something of himself."

Ryu laughed and said, "I hope he does. I was getting kind of tired of knocking him over!"

They both shared a laugh, the first one in quite some time, and both hung up.

As soon as he walked back in, Eliza and Mel both looked towards him. He grinned and announced, "Look alive, crew! We're gonna have guests…"

* * *

A few hours later, the door opened again, and the guests in question walked through.

"Whoa… this is one awesome room, Ken!" Sakura said as she looked around, wide-eyed.

Karin however, was not so surprised. "It's impressive, but rather typical of someone with your status. You are, after all, a martial arts champion. It's no surprise that you would make quite a bit of money from it. Not to mention that you are from one of the most affluent families in America, so I would say that this is common for you."

Eliza looked towards the two with an amused smile. How similar were they to her husband and Ryu! Sure, that blonde needed a bit of a tone down from the condescending manner, but the rest of her…

Ken laughed and said, "Yeah, you pegged me dead on. Hey, I want you to meet my two special people. This is…"

Sakura smiled and interjected immediately. "You're Eliza, right?"

Eliza wasn't surprised. "That's me. It's nice to finally meet you."

Sakura walked over to her, stood for a moment, and then bowed. "Sorry for the intrusion."

Ken almost thought she was going to say something in Japanese, but he was relieved when she spoke in English. But then something surprised him…

"Ii desu. Anata wa itareritsukseri; kandoushita."

Ken blinked. Karin blinked. "You know Japanese?" They both asked at the same time.

Eliza shrugged and said, "I hang around Ken too much. He knows it, and I just picked a few things up. You try hanging out with a guy that knows two languages for five years without learning a few things."

Mel grinned and said, "My mom is awesome, huh?"

Sakura nodded and said, "She sure is! I'd love to get into some interesting conversation, but first…" She turned towards Ken and said, "Let's hear why we're gathered here in the first place."

With that, the situation became clear to the two of them in short order as Ken began explaining why they were in his room, along with why Sakura had just been excused from her classes for an indefinite period. "Akuma is on the move."

One of Sakura's eyebrows rose. "Never heard of him before… who is he?"

Ken smiled and said, "I can see that Ryu hasn't told you much about the guy, huh? Well then, allow me to explain. This goes back way before you two came into the picture. Ryu and I had a master named Gouken who trained us in the style that we both use today. But before that, he and his brother Gouki had a master themselves; Goutetsu. I don't know how strong the guy was, but if he trained those two, he was probably a real badass.

"Now before I go on, I should tell you that there are two sides to the martial arts that we use. The original concept is called Hadou no Chikara – the Surge of Power. It involves the use of ki in one's attacks in order to enhance their strength and speed. It's the driving force behind just about every technique in Ansatsuken."

Sakura mouthed the name of the fighting style without speaking. So that was the name for it. She hadn't asked earlier, there was no time for it. Her eyes widened as she listened to the tale, only able to imagine what kind of man would train the master of Ken and Ryu.

Karin on the other hand, grimaced. She said the name almost at the same time as when Sakura mouthed it. "Ansatsuken… Assassin's Fist. It's one of those martial arts designed for a single, decisive strike that results in death. But you two don't kill anyone with it. At the very least, _you_ win fights with a single, full strength blow, without any fatal injuries. How is this possible?"

Ken smiled proudly and said, "Our master managed to use ki in a method that wouldn't kill anything. He turned a martial art that was supposed to be deadly into a style for self-defense. Of course, Gouki was different. You could say he was the other side of the coin."

Both fighter girls went silent as the story continued.

"Gouki," Ken said with a forlorn look, "Tapped into the other half of the style, the side that represented the drive to win at any cost. It's the sheer, full-on intent to _kill_ for the sake of victory. It's called the Satsui no Hadou – Surge of Murderous Intent.

"He was so into it, so focused on it, that it must have driven him insane. Or maybe… he wanted to lose himself to it. I can't tell what he was thinking when he tried to tap it, but once he did… he was able to kill Goutetsu in a battle for who would be the next master. We had no idea that his next target was Gouken – maybe he wanted absolute control of the school, maybe not. The first time, he failed. That's when training got serious."

Eliza decided not to comment. She hadn't heard this from him either, but maybe that was why she hadn't been asked to leave the room. He would have had to tell her and Mel this sooner or later, and right now was as good of a time as any. At least, she hoped that was the case.

Ken continued onwards, hoping that everyone was listening. "We were twenty-three years old when that rigorous training schedule ended, and by then we could both pound the other into next week if we wanted to, but neither of us would die because of it. It was then that the first World Warrior tournament came up and… well, you can tell from there, right?"

Sakura grinned and said, "Ryu kicked some major-league butt!"

Ken smirked and said, "Yeah; that much is clear. As for me, the US championships were coming up, so I had to head over there to compete. Soon as I cleaned house on that, I headed back to Japan… and I came back just in time to find Gouken lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. I couldn't help but be entirely pissed off at the man who was standing above him… Gouki."

Sakura lowered her head and said, "I see… so he killed him to take control of the school, right? Since Gouken was the master at the time."

Ken shrugged and said, "Could be; once again, I have no idea why. Anyways, I tried to bash his face in, but he was too fast… too strong for me. He put me down in seconds, and even then I could still sense that he was holding back. After he was done mopping the floor with my face, he up and left. Later, Ryu came in and saw him dead, then asked me who did it. I told him, and for some reason he didn't seem angry… he had this haunted look in his eyes, as if he'd seen or done something terribly wrong."

Sakura blinked for a moment, wondering why this sounded so familiar. Then her eyes widened and she said, "That's why, that one time when I asked him to train me…"

Ken nodded. "The poor guy had a taste of the Satsui no Hadou in the first tournament. He wanted to win at any cost, and tore that scar in Sagat's chest with one Shoryuken. It took him clean out, and Ryu won… but the cost was a hefty one."

Sakura's head lowered even more. "I… That was really rude of me, to ask him such a thing; to insist on it."

Ken smiled softly and said, "You didn't know until now, right? Don't beat yourself up for it, or I really will mistake you for Ryu!" With that, Ken laughed and said, "Besides, he did say he would train you once he got a hold of himself, and he has."

Sakura grinned and said, "Oh, I have no doubt of that! I always knew he had it in him."

Karin shrugged and said, "Well I certainly don't want to judge him right away. But what will we do about this Gouki? I wouldn't doubt that he changed his name to Akuma just after he killed your master – either that, or someone happened to call him that upon seeing him."

Ken nodded and said, "That's exactly what happened. Someone must have likened him to a demon and the name probably stuck. I don't think he minds being called that, so he adopted it for himself. Regardless, he sensed you Sakura, and is moving towards your location. Or at least, he was… now he probably has no clue where you are, since you're gone from where you were."

Sakura shook her head and said, "I don't like the sound of him. If he's going to go about the school looking for me, he's probably going to tear it apart to do so. I can't just leave everyone behind like that."

Ken grimaced and said, "You're gonna have no choice but to do so. He's not someone you can just challenge to a fight. If you go off and challenge him, you could die. And neither of us wants that at the moment, to be honest."

Sakura looked up at Ken, her brown eyes pleading for him to reconsider. "But, Kei…!"

Ken sighed and said, "It's too dangerous. I know you're all about protecting your friends, but he's out of your league; I mean, _way_ out there. All I can do is just hope that Ryu gets there first. Then if Akuma does show up, he won't do extensive damage to the campus."

Sakura pouted and said, "I can't just hope on that. I have to do something!"

Karin decided to take this time to make a rare attempt at reassuring Sakura. "The best thing to do right now," She said softly, "Is to trust Ryu like you always do. He'll make it first, and wait for this guy to get there and find out you're nowhere to be found. And then if a fight breaks out… Well, we'll see who gets the last word in."

Sakura looked uncertain of this plan, but she nodded and said, "All right. I understand."

She just hoped that everything was all right with Kei and Akio, and those other two who she couldn't quite remember the names of. Heck, they hadn't even told her their names. She couldn't help but smile at these thoughts of hers.

'If I can think of something funny at a time like this, then I'll be okay.'

Ken smiled and said, "Good, because if you didn't quite get the picture, I'd have had to beat it into your head. And that wouldn't be nice, now would it?"

Sakura looked up at Ken and blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Ken's smile turned into a grin. "I'm just kidding!"

That got a laugh from everyone involved as Sakura scratched the back of her head. "Don't get me all excited like that… I really do want to fight you, you know?"

* * *

As the sun set over the rooftops of Tokyo University, Ryu stood upon a high vantage point that overlooked the campus. He attempted to sense any trace of Sakura's energy, hoping that she was indeed out of the area. After a few seconds of scanning for her presence, he sighed in relief.

'Thank you, Ken. You did what I asked.'

With that, he sat down on the rooftop he was currently standing upon, folded his legs in lotus posture, placed his hands on his knees with the palms turned upward, and breathed. He was going to wait for him – to make an attempt to distract Akuma for just a while, and hopefully defeat him. Or at the very least, come to a draw. That's how it always ended, right?

'I have to keep him in check for long enough so that he can't find out where Sakura has gone next. I'm sure he can sense her energy as well, but if Ken has her out of reach, then I can improve her odds. She can't use her ki or move around too much, or else this will all be for nothing.'

He couldn't exactly tell himself that she would do that, since he didn't know for certain. But that was the interesting part about this, wasn't it? Sakura was still an unknown factor; a wild card that had almost limitless potential.

'Whoever gets to build that potential could turn her into either Beauty, or The Beast.'

More was at stake here than just a mere battle of wills. He had to halt Akuma's progress here, at least for a little while. Amuse him, so to speak. Make him back off for just a little while. And then… then, hopefully, he would get to properly train Sakura, as she wished him to.

'I have to, or else she'll be on the wrong path herself. I don't even want to know what Akuma has planned for her…'

He breathed deep to clear the scattered thoughts from his mind. He had to turn his brain off for a little while, attempt to be one with his surroundings. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to see him coming until it was too late.

Afternoon turned to evening, evening turned to night, and the world rested.

Tomorrow… the world would shake.

* * *

**Round 4: **_**Surge of Power**_

I figured I would take a break from the fighting for a bit to have Sakura actually find out more about the style she's using. I doubt she's even heard its name before. Figured she could do with a bit of a history lesson. But yes, the moment that (hopefully) some of you have been waiting for will come next chapter.

The two masters of Ansatsuken face off in what is to be a ground-breaking combat that will decide the fate of our young heroine! Which side will she take? Who will be left standing in the end? Will anything be the same once it's concluded? Find out next time as we begin the first round of Ryu vs. Akuma.

**EDIT:** Wow, I'm really starting to learn how Japanese nouns work. Pardon my miscalculation of the term for the Surge of Power. They're both nouns, so the particle counts as a modifier for the noun that comes after it. Well, at least I'm learning! Watch closely for the edit. Anything within subsequent chapters that mention this original principle will be edited. Sorry!

_Nobody blink… Triumph or Die!_


	5. Fist of the Demon

The cool air of the early morning brushed against his face, soothing his frayed nerves. And yet on the outside, he was undaunted and unmoving. The man with the white gi and his now trademark red bandanna sat in lotus position, his hand turned upward in his lap. For the last few hours, he hadn't moved an inch, as if he were carved from stone and immaculately painted to the point of seeming alive.

The only signs of him even being alive were the subtle shifts of his body as he breathed; the air that rustled his hair and clothing; the processes going on within his mind at the moment. To be honest however, the third one did not count. His mind was emptied of thought and emotion, leaving only the void.

It was due to this void that he could be in tune with his surroundings, this emotionless place that had vast, limitless potential that he could reach outside the boundaries of his own consciousness. And yet, there was no anger, no ego; no fear. There was only peace within the void.

Through it, he could sense that clinical, cold detachment from oneself that was required for complete control of the Satsui no Hadou. Yes, in fact, they were the same; there was no denying that. Both had to enter into their respective voids… no, that wasn't different either. It was the same void for everyone, just used for different things.

Everyone could reach this state of mind, but it was different. One method involved cutting off their very humanity, the other involved silencing one's mind in order to make way for the spirit.

It was why he was able to find the man that was headed in his general direction within seconds instead of mere minutes. Had he been required to search for any longer than that, he would not only have been found first, but he would have been killed on the spot. This man was not one to trifle with.

"Here he comes," he said softly as he opened his eyes. With a smile, he said, "I wonder what he's going to think when he can't find her anywhere."

With that, he stood, reached into his travel bag, and withdrew a pair of grappling gloves, red in color. After putting them on and securing the wrist straps, he pulled forth another item, a simple red headband that he tied around his forehead. With that, he tied the bag again and left it there on the roof, hopping down towards the ground below.

Normally, no normal human being would leap down like that and hope to survive, but Ryu was far from normal. This man was able to project his ki in various methods in order to produce various effects. Example: the principle of Tatsumaki involved using one's vital energy to create a spinning column of energy underneath them, and this usually resulted in a limited amount of flight time.

Ryu had mastered this concept, and used it to great effect now as he reached the halfway point of his descent. With his left leg outstretched, he spun at a high speed, moving forward as he headed down. By the time he had reached the ground, it was a sufficient height for a safe landing. After touching down, he adjusted the black sash that held his gi together, tightened his headband, and looked around.

It was still quiet. Nothing seemed to move or breathe; even the air seemed heavy with silence. It was as if the world had stopped turning.

"So, you have come. As I knew you would."

He didn't have to turn around to know who it was; he could sense the malicious intent, the ki that flowed from him like a dark miasma. And yet, Ryu's mind was empty still, filled with only his Surge of Power. "She's not here, you know," he said quietly. "It looks like I'll have to do for now."

Akuma smiled and said, "And we have come for the same reason as well. She must be trained in the proper usage of Ansatsuken. You will agree that since I am the current master of the art, I am the only one who can bring out her full strength."

Ryu turned around and said, "The only thing you would do, Akuma, is turn her into another killer, obsessed with victory. I don't intend to let someone like you have her. Killing may have been the original use for Ansatsuken, but it is not the true path. This is not the age of bloodshed, where there was a need for a battlefield."

Akuma's face turned stone cold as he said, "How naïve. As long as there are men like us, men who search for the pinnacle of strength, the entire _world_ is a battlefield. It appears you still do not understand."

Ryu shook his head and said, "I don't _want_ to understand. I refuse to kill just to win a fight. If I'm going to lose, so be it. I'll just come back stronger than before."

For a moment, there was silence. Then Akuma chuckled and said, "True. I can sense it, even now. You have improved by a wide margin since our last meeting." He settled into a fighting stance and said, "Reveal it to me! Show me the power that comes from this path you walk. I want a battle that will shake the heavens!"

Ryu settled into his own fighting stance. "Fine, if you insist. Let's go."

'It's all going according to plan. Sakura, keep hidden and wait for me!'

The two men immediately lunged toward each other, coming into contact almost simultaneously. When their fists met in the middle of their headlong rush, it was like a pair of freight trains on steroids colliding into each other. With an audible crack, a bare fist met a padded one, and both fighters rebounded backwards from the shockwave of ki that came from their meeting.

The battle had begun, and only heaven knew what the outcome would be.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

Sakura's eyes opened in a flash as a sudden chill ran down her spine. The world blurred before her as her mind, muddled by sleep, attempted to make sense of things. For some reason or other, an image had suddenly come forth in her thoughts; a source of energy that was so immense that it seemed to crush everything before it. The energy surged forth from a man with red hair, darkened skin, and a body that was a wall of sheer muscle.

There was another aura that collided with it, one that was shining and clear; unadulterated, but still extremely powerful. The point of origin was a familiar one, and was entirely expected. It came from Ryu.

When the two streams of ki crossed, it was like a pair of live wires sparking against each other, or a violent chemical reaction. Sheer explosive force seemed to come from their clash, and it was so great that even Sakura could feel it. Hence, the sudden shock that woke her from her sleep.

She looked around, her mind in order, and found that everyone else was asleep.

'So it _is_ just me after all. Why?'

She had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to Ryu if he stayed where he was for any longer than he had to. Still, that crushing weight of the strange man's ki sat on her shoulders like a mantle made of heavy steel chain. She couldn't go to where he was; not now. He was doing this so that she would be safe – going to the combat area would only negate what Ryu was attempting.

Fear can make the usually irrational mind move in a direction of startling clarity.

Yes, she was afraid. Her hands were still shaking, and she had to clench them into fists in order to stop them from doing so. She had to release this somehow… go back to sleep so she could stop worrying. But her mind reeled from the sheer force that came from the man with red hair.

'So that's Akuma.'

She shook her head slowly. Was that the Satsui no Hadou, the killing intent that came from the desire to be the most powerful? If that were the case, then she was right about one thing – winning was not everything. He had sacrificed something important due to his drive to be the absolute best; it had consumed him.

If someone like that were coming for _her_…

'No. I won't let him even touch me. Ryu is the only one who can train me.'

With that thought echoing through her head, she closed her eyes and made an attempt to sleep again. But in the back of her mind, she hoped that Ryu would win. Because if he did not, she feared that she'd never get to see him again.

* * *

The two men had not moved for a few seconds after their initial impact, sizing each other up for a brief moment. The subtle shifts in their energies, the ways in which they each stood ready for battle, every small detail was taken into account. For a while, it seemed that the two of them were frozen in time. And then, they moved, both bodies a mere blur.

Akuma's left fist snapped towards Ryu's jaw with blinding speed, only to be parried and countered immediately by a back fist from his opponent. In a movement too fast for words, the demon swayed backwards, his left leg reeling back at the same time before it extended outwards in a roundhouse kick that was aimed for his counterpart's ribs.

Ryu was forced to launch himself backwards, the narrowly-missed kick cutting the air as it narrowly passed by the front of his stomach. As Akuma recovered from the kick, the man in white moved forward again, ramming his right fist into his opponent's stomach.

He was possibly the only one who could have penetrated the wall of flesh that was Akuma's abdomen with a single strike. Anyone else would have been akin to a baseball hitting a brick wall- no effect. Akuma simply grinned as he felt the force of Ryu's fist ramming into his gut. Oh, this was glorious. He was even better than expected.

The punches did not end there- in fact, Ryu let off two more before he crouched low, his legs forcefully tensing as energy was shunted towards them. And then, he leapt upwards, his right fist ramming into the underside of Akuma's jaw.

"Shoryuken!" was the cry that Ryu let out as he leapt through the air, his fist charged with ki. Akuma was knocked for a loop, but soon recovered in mid-air, and as soon as Ryu was on his downwards trip, two mid-air Hadoukens were headed in his direction like cannon shots. If either of them hit, Ryu would be sent on a very painful trip to the ground.

They did not reach their destination as Ryu sensed the blasts of ki headed in his direction. He quickly transitioned into a Tatsumaki-Senpuu-Kyaku, whirling at such a speed that he effectively knocked the two shots off course. With that, he landed, set himself, and charged again without blinking.

Laying into Akuma with one strike after another, Ryu attempted to press the offensive, but could not land a single blow on the Ansatsuken master. His momentum was too far gone, and Akuma executed a sacrifice throw that almost sent Ryu to his back a good five feet away. The key word was almost, due to his recovery in mid-air… but he would not be safe for long.

While he was turning around, Akuma had leapt into the air and began gathering his ki.

"_**Tenma**_**!**"

He knew what that meant. It was only a brief second before a massive wave of ki headed down towards Ryu's forehead, and he only had a moment's notice to defend against it. Usually, the Tenma Gou Zankuu came down too quickly for anyone to effectively counter it, but Ryu was not your usual combatant. He braced himself, lifted one hand, and focused his ki into not only the palm, but the entire forearm.

The ground broke apart beneath him as the mid-air blast hit his seemingly meager defense. However… he still stood. Despite the destruction that was rapidly going on around him, he was still here and with his arm intact. With that, he redirected the energy with a shift of his extended arm, and the attack went flying back up into the air out of harm's way.

But Akuma was not done yet as a side blade kick from the same point in the air came straight for its target on the ground. Ryu had to evade immediately, leaping out of the way before the attack came ramming home, deepening and widening the crater with explosive force.

'Too close… I have to finish this!'

Ryu let out a shout as he launched a Hadouken from mid-air as well, just not the extremely potent version that Akuma had used earlier. It headed down with almost the same speed though, and before the dust cleared, Ryu could see the flash of pale blue before a third explosion followed… though one that was not as lethal as his opponent's would have been.

As Ryu landed, still in his fighting stance, he waited until the dust cleared to see the results. Of course, he wouldn't have to wait for long as a burst of vicious energy cleared the cloud away.

Akuma stood there, seemingly unfazed. The impact to his chin was quite visible; the strikes to the stomach clear. But the Hadouken had made the biggest impression, tearing the gi straight from his upper body.

And yet despite it all, the demon grinned madly.

"**Yes!**" he shouted as crimson streams of ki flowed around him, "_This_ is what I wanted! You have improved beyond expectations! Hurt me, break me; fight until I am crushed!" He began walking out of the crater, towards the man himself. "That is what I would say were you not holding back; sadly, your attacks are not enough to kill me. Still, they are potent none the less. I am enjoying this fight with you, Ryu."

Ryu remained silent, waiting for his attacks.

Akuma immediately gave him what he wanted, moving with such speed that for a brief moment, it seemed that he had vanished. Within seconds, he was behind Ryu, ramming a Hadouken into his lower back. Surprised by the sudden shift in momentum, the man clad in white was knocked several feet away before he recovered. The bad news was that Akuma was right on top of him, making it near impossible to defend himself, much less recover.

Barely blocking the storm of strikes that were coming from the demon, Ryu managed to stay on his feet until Akuma landed with a low roundhouse kick to his right leg… and then executed his own Tatsumaki. This one didn't just hit once… it moved fast enough to hit three times, the third kick forcing Ryu into a spin.

And it wasn't over. While Ryu was heading towards the ground, Akuma leapt into the air and fired two mid-air blasts of ki towards the hapless opponent. They both hit square, forcing Ryu to the ground with a blast of dirt and dust. To finish, Akuma finished with that same angled side blade kick, attempting to drive his point home.

It wouldn't work all that well.

"Shinkuu… **Tatsumaki-Senpuu-Kyaku**!"

The dirt and dust that had been kicked up, as well as the rocks and stones, formed into a tornado as they were drawn into the vacuum that one of his most powerful attacks had created. Needless to say, Akuma was sucked in as well, and suffered eight consecutive attacks with a brutal right leg. The combination sent him packing, and sent all that debris to the ground again.

As the stones rained around him, Ryu looked as if he had seen better days. Those two Hadoukens that had blasted him to the ground did a number on him, leaving his gi torn beyond recognition. It was a wonder how it was still on his body.

"You… you survived it all," Akuma said as he recovered, much slower than before. "I am most impressed. It's sad that she is not here to see this."

Ryu shrugged, entirely in pain but still standing as well. "I'm glad she's not here. In fact, anywhere is better than this place right now."

Akuma stood shakily, still moving even now. "For the strength you have shown me today, I will let you live. Someday, I intend to fight you again, and once I do, we will have a decisive battle to end all of it. For now, I will allow you to teach her your way. Perhaps… perhaps she will be the one to defeat me."

He turned his back on Ryu and said, "I wait for the day when this happens. Come see me when you are prepared for it; bring your student with you. I would like to… witness her improvements for myself."

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "You mean that's it? That's all you've got for me?"

Akuma stopped walking away and was silent for a few moments, then gave his response. "If I asked you where she was… you would not tell me. Not to mention that she has hidden herself quite well. I cannot sense anything other than lingering traces of her energy, which concentrates the most around these grounds. I may kill, Ryu, but I am not foolish."

He continued walking. "Find me, fight me, and defeat me. You are the only one capable of it… for now."

The demon vanished, leaving Ryu to fall to his knees. The pain came back full force as his mind slipped out of its void. His body ached from the attacks that he had taken; it felt like his jaw had come loose during one of those flurries. But he had done what Akuma had wanted, and that was the idea.

'Still as strong as ever,' he brooded to himself. 'But the plan worked – I stalled him for long enough that Sakura could get away. Now I have to find out… where she…'

It was no use. He couldn't keep coherent for long. But then again, he heard the sounds of security heading his way, and decided that he couldn't stay where he was, either. He breathed, ignored the pain, and headed to get his bag back. He'd need a new gi and everything now, but he had the money for it. Ryu prepared to leap upwards again, right back to where he had come down from, but then wondered if it were a good idea to just go looking for Sakura right away.

'Without an idea of where she is, I doubt I would have a good chance of finding her. And besides, everyone's probably asleep.' He sighed to himself and cleared his mind of doubts. He'd ask later that day. With that, he leapt upwards, soaring towards the heavens from whence he came. After he had reached the top of the roof, he grabbed his bag and began moving again, hoping to get out of sight of any security patrols that were coming to examine the mess that had been left.

Perhaps he would visit Suzaku Castle again, like he did every once in a while, and pay respects to his master. But first things first; he had to find her and start her training. It was a real shame about her college education. He knew that was important. Still, he didn't have any choice but to interrupt that.

'If I just let her be… she'll go completely out of control. This is the way it has to be.'

Within minutes, he was gone, bag and all.

* * *

"Eat your fill, guys! There's plenty more where that came from!"

Ken was treating his two guests for breakfast. To be honest, he had brought them all this way, so it was the least he could do. And besides, he had a bigger bank account than most could hope for, so there were plenty of seconds to be had. So the question here was why Sakura was not eating anything.

But of course, Ken knew why. He just didn't want to say anything about it. She was worried about Ryu – it was practically written all over her face. But if anyone would come out of it all right, it was him. Besides, Akuma didn't kill or destroy needlessly; at least, he hoped so. Still, it was all right to be worried about him – he worried about him every damn day.

'I just hope he isn't in serious trouble this time.'

Karin however, did speak about it.

"Sakura, tell me the truth. Do you have… more-than-platonic feelings for Ryu? You're worried enough about him that you're not eating… and seeing you not eat is _very_ disturbing."

Sakura blinked for a moment, startled out of her trance by her rival's words. "More than…? No way, Karin! I told you before, it's not like that! I just had this weird premonition last night and…"

Ken was about to take a bite out of his food when he heard her words. It made him stop what he was doing and lower his fork slowly. "What kind of premonition, Sakura. What exactly did you see? Try and be as detailed as possible, if you can even remember it."

Sakura nodded, her face taking on a brief expression of concentration. But it seemed the harder she tried to grasp for it, the farther away it got. "I can't…" But of course, once she stopped trying to remember the bad vibes she had, they immediately came back to her. The image seemed to flash in her mind again, as briefly as it had before, and just as clearly.

"I remember now. I saw Ryu and Akuma, though it was only for a small moment. They looked as if they were charging each other, full steam; each ready to knock the other to the ground. There was this violent ki around Akuma, as if it were drowning everything in its wake, and Ryu's was light and clear, but still strong. Just when their fists hit each other, I felt this huge shockwave."

She looked towards Ken and said, "That's never happened to me before…"

Karin was no longer teasing. Ken was not exactly surprised, or at least he didn't look like he was.

"That," he said softly, "Probably really happened. I think you sensed their energy, even from miles away, and when they collided, you had this sudden, horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen. Let me guess – you've never been able to sense the ki of others, have you?"

Sakura shook her head. "Like I said, this is my first time."

Karin frowned and said, "Impossible. You have to have gone through some kind of training or other! It _can't_ have just happened overnight, right?"

Ken shrugged and said, "It's not impossible. Sometimes, one just has a knack for it. It just has to come out on its own. But one thing's for sure – now that it's here, she's gotta work on it. I figure that's the one thing I didn't do when I was training; work on my senses. I was just into learning the strikes and the practical application of using ki. But Ryu's got it down to a science. If he's met them before, he can sense and track anyone, from anywhere, at any time." He laughed and said, "He always seems to know where I am because of it!"

Sakura's eyes lowered and she said, "But what if he's…"

Ken shook his head and said, "Don't even mention it. He'll be all right. In fact, he should be coming through the door any minute now."

Of course, no one expected a knock on the door right that second, so when they all heard it, everyone in the room jumped just a little in surprise. Eliza looked towards Ken and said, "Thought you didn't have those senses?"

The champ scratched the back of his head and said, "Could be anyone!" With that, he stood and walked towards the door, saying as he passed Sakura, "Seriously, it's gonna get cold. Eat up!"

There was no sense in not eating, she finally decided, and she was starting to get hungry anyway. But before she could even take a single bite, the door opened again, revealing the last person anyone expected to show up. He was in a pair of recently-bought jeans, black in color, a white shirt, and a dark blue warm-up jacket. Surprisingly, he was entirely without his red head band.

Sakura had already taken a bite out of her food, so the next few words were with her mouth rather full of egg. "Ryu!?"

Karin glared at her. "Oh, that's just wonderful. Show him your refined table manners, Kasugano."

She swallowed her food and grinned widely. "You're all right! I didn't think you'd make it here after…"

Ryu looked towards Ken, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Ken shrugged and let him in. "Glad you could make it, man. Did everything turn out all right? You don't look all that bad, really." Then he grinned and said, "That must mean he went easy on you, huh?"

Ryu sighed and says, "He'll kill anyone else but me, it seems. It's as if he's not taking me seriously. But let me tell you, those kicks of his _seriously_ hurt!" With that, he walked in and said, "I hope you don't mind if I sit down for a bit. It's been a long day, sure enough."

Eliza blinked for a moment. "It's not even over yet, and you're calling it a long day?" She chuckled and said, "I have a feeling it's going to be interesting, meeting you."

Karin on the other hand, did not say anything. She simply looked at the man who was touted as one of the strongest in the world. Considering that he did not look all that impressive, she couldn't help but consider him just another man. But then, she caught his eyes, and had to reassess her view of him. Twenty-nine years was a considerably short time on this earth, but he looked as if he had seen and done more than a man could have in one lifetime.

'So this is the real thing, is it?'

Ryu felt her stare, and finally took a look towards her. "Is something wrong?"

Karin did not notice she was staring, so when he asked, she was shaken out of her trance. "N-no, it's nothing. It's just…" She bowed and said, "It's an honor to meet you in person. Sakura has told me much about you."

Ryu smiled and said, "Really? And what exactly has she been saying?" He raised a hand and said, "Don't tell me just yet; I want to get the answer from her directly." He sat down at a nearby table and took a moment to relax, wincing slightly at the pain that was still making his muscles complain.

"Ken, thanks for taking care of her," he began, "And I promise I'll make sure she gets what she needs from now on. Just make sure you keep your end of it, okay?"

Ken scratched the back of his head as he sat next to Eliza. "Hey, when I said I'd train him, I wasn't joking around. I might look like a total slacker, but I don't lie." He looked towards Sakura and said, "So yeah, what are you gonna do about your friends? I mean, you can't just leave without saying goodbye, right?"

Sakura lowered her head again and said, "Yeah, I can't. Besides, Kei is gonna be mad at me because I didn't tell her where I went." Sakura smiled and said, "I know it's her way of being worried, but I don't want to make her angry. The very least I can do is say goodbye. And I just met Akio and his friends, too…"

Karin raised an eyebrow. It sounded like Sakura was wavering… she cleared her throat and said, "Seems to me like this is your decision, no? So why are your friends having so much sway over it? If you have a dream, just follow it, no matter what. That way, you won't have any regrets. And besides, she shouldn't worry- I'll be coming with you, like it or not."

Sakura's head lifted in surprise. "You're gonna just _abandon_ college as well? You don't have any reason to do that, so don't cheat yourself! I don't want to inconvenience anyone else!"

Karin lifted her chin and said, "Are you kidding? College is just a luxury – I don't _need_ it. I already have control of the Zaibatsu, so I'm already well-to-do. Besides, we're rivals. If I didn't go chasing after you, I couldn't call myself that, now could I?" She pointed towards Sakura, her index finger almost poking her between the eyes. "Believe me, I _will_ defeat you. Until then, I will be watching you in Kei's place, to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"Karin-chan…" Sakura said softly. "You're really worried about me, huh?"

She shrugged and said, "Can't help it." This time, she was the one to lower her head. "For some odd reason that I can't explain, you've got your hooks into me. I doubt you even tried to do anything but be my friend and fight me, and I was acting all snobby during high school. I want to make up for the mistakes I made."

Ken smiled without saying anything, but Sakura grinned and said, "Should've told me earlier! I thought you were stalking me or something when I saw you in most of my classes!"

Everyone present sweat dropped, including Ryu. But hey, this was how she was. Karin shook her head and said, "Well I didn't want to make it too obvious, otherwise you'd just cling onto me like an infectious leech! You seem to do that with Chitose-san most of the time – I didn't want to have to be tied to that."

Sakura scratched the back of her neck and said, "I really do that? I guess I should watch how I act, huh?"

Ryu looked towards Ken and raised an eyebrow. Ken merely shrugged. He didn't know how long this had gone on either, but he had to admit, it was pretty interesting to watch. It was also probably a good sign that things would go relatively well for Sakura, so long as she had someone to compete against. Of course, this made him wonder why Ryu wanted him to train Sean.

'Bah, what does it matter? I promised him, and I have to live up to it.'

Ryu cleared his throat, breaking into the conversation before it got into full swing. "Well if you're going to go with me too, you may as well say goodbye to anyone you're attached to. It's going to be a very, very long trip, and I doubt that we'll be coming back here any time soon."

Karin nodded and said, "Then I will do so tomorrow. For the moment, I believe I'll check into a room here for the rest of the day. Sleeping in one of those beds in the dorms is absolutely horrid!" Her face twisted in an expression of open disgust. "I'll be glad to be out of there, believe me."

Sakura nodded in acknowledgement, though her mind had long since departed to another place altogether. Would everyone be all right while she was away? Did she even want to know how Kei would react to all this? Well she could at least send her e-mail. Speaking of that, she had almost forgotten her laptop! She'd have to get that, too…

"Hey, earth to Sakura!"

That was Ken, and his voice happened to break her out of her self-induced trance. "You were saying something?"

Ken sighed and said, "I was asking if you had anything to take care of besides just saying farewell. I mean anything important."

Sakura lowered her head for a moment, and then looked towards Ryu. "I need my laptop. I want to send Kei one e-mail a day or something to that extent. I don't want her to worry too much about me while I'm away. Can I bring it?"

Ryu placed a hand underneath his chin as he considered where they would be going, and then nodded. "That's fine with me. It's always important to keep track of your friends. Just don't let it get in the way of why exactly you're coming with me."

Sakura grinned excitedly and said, "Oh, don't worry about that! I'll be diligent, I promise. You'll see; I'll be the best student you've ever had!"

Ryu smiled and said, "I sure hope so, for both our sakes."

Without asking why he had added the last part, Sakura clenched her fists as her heart seemed to beat faster.

'This is gonna be so awesome! Finally, my dreams are coming to life! I'm gonna be a real fighter, for sure!'

* * *

**Round 5: **_**Fist of the Demon**_

Well, there you have it. Sorry it took so long to post this one. Had all sorts of busy things to do- you guys know how it is. Anyways, I figured I would bring this battle to you guys early, because I wanted to start the dynamic between Ryu and Akuma in proper fashion; hence the setup in Chapter 4. Still, there's a lot more to go and a lot more fighting to do before the next one, so stay tuned.

For those who are sticking with this one so far, you have my thanks. I'm postponing a lot of stories because of this one crazy idea that happened to pop into my head one night, and would not leave me alone, but it's worth it if you guys like it! So please, let me know what you think in the form of a review.

_Sharpen your fangs! It's not the end!_


	6. Farewell, But Not Goodbye

'It feels strange,' Kei mused as she stood in line for lunch that day.

Sakura wasn't behind her, chattering away as always about something or other that had caught her attention. She wasn't there to say how boring her homework was or what kind of new kick she had learned. She wasn't there for her to argue with about the proper solution to her math homework, or refuse to have her copy answers.

She wasn't there, period. And Kei Chitose was worried.

They had seen the destruction first hand, though the fight was long since over and the area was roped off. Debris was everywhere, scattered across the grass. Craters pockmarked the area, making it look like something out of a war movie. The ground itself looked as if a tornado had come through and decided to stick around for a while. In other words, it was a disaster area.

Yet no buildings were destroyed; no collateral damage had ensued. This was no hurricane or lightning storm, nothing natural. By the localized area that it had happened in, this was not just some explosion from a bomb. No, that would result in more than just the ground being wrecked.

'This was a fight, between two people.' It was what her mind had managed to piece together, without any deeper investigation. And it made her afraid for Sakura. But when she asked whether there were any traces of her or not, even a hair sample, there was nothing to be found. And besides, Sakura could not be capable of such destruction.

'Then again, that… ki attack of hers…'

No, that wasn't even enough to do all that. Two people with abilities that she couldn't even imagine had fought here, and so far she was the only one who had come to this conclusion. But when she had started her search for Sakura, she hadn't turned up anywhere. Now it was lunch time, and she was nowhere to be found.

"You okay?"

The voice behind her made her break away from her brooding. Kei turned around and mustered a smile for Akio. "I'll be fine. It's just… it doesn't feel right, not having Sakura here with us. Are you sure you haven't found anything?"

Akio shook his head sadly. "Not even a trace. Where did you say she was headed yesterday?"

Kei placed a finger on her chin, tapping it almost absentmindedly. After a short while of this, she gave her answer. "That's right; she was headed towards the gym. Said it was for a workout or something, I don't know. When I checked there later after not seeing her in class, she was nowhere to be found." She fidgeted nervously, wondering even now if something had happened to her friend.

She felt his hand on her right shoulder and smiled, feeling a bit more reassured. "She'll turn up," he said with a smile of his own. "I'm sure that if anyone's okay, she is. But you're right about one thing, it definitely feels strange not seeing her, though I've only known you guys for a few days."

Kei sighed and said, "She kinda has that effect on everyone. I just wish I knew where she ran off to this time. I hope she's all right…"

The conversation was picked up by the other two stooges… or rather, the _only_ two stooges, as they headed towards the table that was long since designated as belonging to their little group. As they overheard the part about her being all right, they said in tandem, "How can you even say that?"

Kei blinked and looked towards them. Akio rolled his eyes, as Daisuke swung into his rather impassioned speech. "She's never backed down from anything, whether it's a fight or some lowly, unsuspecting school assignment! Whenever she's knocked down, she just gets right back up and keeps on going, no matter what! Asking if she's okay is like asking whether or not the sun will rise tomorrow; the answer is just plain obvious!"

Kei smirked and folded her arms, while Akio wanted nothing more than to smack the guy around as he stood up on the table. Well, this was a good way to get themselves noticed… in a very bad fashion. But he just kept on going, making even his friend sweat drop. "It doesn't matter if the sky fell right this moment, she'd walk through those doors right there," and yes, he even pointed, causing those that were looking to look in that direction, "With that same smile on her face. So if you have the nerve to ask whether you'll see Sakura again or not, you have no idea of what she's capable of!"

Seiji shook his head and said, "You know, sometimes I wonder why I even hang out with you, man."

Daisuke looked down at his rather rational counterpart and grinned widely. "Because you love me, that's why. Thought that was obvious by now? Besides, most of the time, I'm right about this stuff."

Akio smirked and said, "Well that's because you're a major otaku, you dork. Now sit down; one of your shoelaces is on my plate. I swear, I'm gonna have to get a new one."

Of course, the moment he looked down, he found something on his plate missing. The voice behind him was rather surprising, and yet it shouldn't have been. "I dunno; it seems fine to me."

Kei immediately stood up, just about knocking her chair over in doing so. Within the next instant, Sakura was just about tackled by her teary best friend. "You idiot… running off without telling me anything! Do you have any idea how worried I was? I swear if you do that again, I'm going to knock you flat on your ass!"

Sakura hugged Kei tighter and said, "Emergency situation, Kei. I didn't even have time to call you. But see, that's just it," she said as she gently pushed her childhood friend away, "I can't stay for long. I gotta get moving, ASAP."

Kei immediately frowned and said, "Well what is it that's so important? I mean, you can't even stay for lunch?"

Sakura grinned and said, "Well I didn't say that, did I? Sit back down; I have a _long_ story to tell…" She looked towards Daisuke and grinned up at him. "And you're a dork, seriously."

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

"Ishizaki, are my things ready?"

Karin had called in earlier that day, informing her butler that she was heading out on another jaunt. Yes, she had taken one of these before, in order to pursue Sakura from time to time. Sure, business came first, but sometimes there were more important things than just work. So of course when she entered her mansion, the first thing she expected was…

"Well of course, Miss Karin. I've gathered everything you've requested."

She smiled as she heard exactly what she wanted to. "Good, then. Now listen to me; I may be gone for a while, so please take care of things here, would you? Tell my father what's happened, and be sure to explain in detail. I'm sure that he won't mind me doing things on my own these days, but he does need to be informed of these things."

The rotund man bowed and said, "As you wish, Miss Karin. Is there anything else?"

The blonde was silent for a moment, wondering what else she should say. She hadn't really treated him well, had she? Come to think of it, no one had… after all the loyalty he'd shown; no one had really treated him with any respect. After all, he was a person too. She truly had a lot of mistakes to atone for, things that she really couldn't believe she was capable of.

"…Ishizaki, how much are you getting paid?"

Surprised, he blinked for a moment. "Paid? I-I mean, why would you want to know that?" Of course he'd tell her, but this was a new direction for their usual conversations. Not like there were many of those, but he didn't mind. He wasn't getting paid to talk.

Karin simply looked towards him, her dark hazel eyes quite serious. "Please, Ishizaki."

He scratched the back of her head and said, "Well, compared to most in my field, I would say…" Um yeah, cue sweat drop here. "That doesn't really matter, does it? I'm pleased to attend to anything you would require of me, Miss Karin. Money is of no importance to me."

Karin smiled sadly and said, "How did I know you would say that? Now I feel even guiltier…"

He then knew why she was so concerned. "Miss Karin, you really need not worry yourself. I'd rather do things in the background than be noticed anyway. I'm less of a bother that way, you know? Besides, you don't need to concern yourself with someone like me." Placing a hand on her right shoulder, he said, "You should just go after Sakura and leave things here to me."

She shook her head and said, "Please, just listen to me. I… and my family… have been taking you entirely for granted." She looked up at him and said, "I really appreciate everything, Ishizaki, and I want to do something to show how grateful I am."

She beckoned for him to follow her, and as they headed towards the servant's quarters of the mansion, she took a moment to figure in her head how she would explain this to her father. Then again, it wouldn't really matter, would it? The zaibatsu was hers – she could do what she wished with her money now. With all the authority that her position had entitled her, she threw open the doors and said, "I would like to make an announcement."

The servants stopped what they were doing and looked towards her, curious as to why she had barged in this time. Yes, she had done so before, but this time appeared to be different. For those that weren't so in tune with her moods, they looked a bit afraid. There was no need for it, though.

"I am about to leave on a journey that will take several days, perhaps months. Should any one of you here desire time off, please let me know now. I will make it my business to see that you are all rewarded for your loyalty to my family."

There was silence for a while, most of them confused with what had just been said. So she wasn't being a snobby, stuck-up bitch anymore? Yes, that was exactly what they thought of her, though they weren't stupid enough to say it. But here she was, doing a complete u-turn on just about the entire staff. Still, there were those that couldn't be quiet or immobile for long, and they moved forward, humbly requesting a bit of time for their families.

Happily enough, she gave her consent. There were those that wondered why exactly she was doing this, and she could feel their suspicious stares, but shrugged them off of her. She was doing this because she wanted to; because she felt she had to. Not for the first time did she wonder if this too was Sakura's influence… but that question managed to answer itself before she had enough time to ponder it.

'She's changed me. Not like I mind, though.'

After fielding the requests and putting everything in the business logs, Karin sighed to herself, hoping that her father wouldn't complain too loudly about her going over his head again. And even if he did, she would be long gone before he would even get the chance to talk about it. At least, she hoped so. After all, these vacations were along with pay. But she didn't much care about that- she needed to do this.

'If I'm to follow Sakura around from now on, I'm going to need a clear conscience,' she said to herself. 'I don't want to leave with regrets. Besides, I might not be coming back for a while, so this might as well be my day for good deeds.'

After saying her goodbyes, she began heading towards the limousine, closely followed by Ishizaki. "Have my funds ready when I need them, would you? I have a feeling that Sakura won't be able to pay for much of this trip."

All right, that confused him. "Begging your pardon, Miss Karin, but why are you going to such lengths for someone who you consider a rival? Does that not make her your enemy?"

The very thought of it made her laugh. If she had an enemy like Sakura, who was improving at an almost relentless pace, she would lose every time. In Karin's opinion, it was better to improve along with her than consider her a mortal foe. "Don't be silly, Ishizaki! I would rather consider her a dear friend, even if she wasn't born to great wealth or status. One day, she'll reach it on her own, and I want to watch her as she does it."

Ishizaki smiled and said, "And what about the family motto?"

She smirked and said, "Frankly, I'm beginning to think it's a bunch of nonsense. If all I needed were victory, then it would become an obsession. I'd like to think of myself as the last person to fall for such a petty desire."

Ishizaki nodded and said, "I see. Well then, do your best, Miss Karin. I will be waiting for anything you may require, as usual."

She smiled and said, "Then let's head back to the hotel. I'm certain that they are ready to get all this underway."

As the mansion disappeared from sight, Karin looked out of the tinted windows, wondering what exactly Sakura was doing at the moment. She was probably still at the school, saying her goodbyes and what not. The blonde could only hope that her rival did not take too long.

For some odd reason that she had no explanation for, she was anxious to get all this underway.

* * *

Kei stared at Sakura in amazement. "Holy crap… someone like that was looking for you? Even I would run from somebody like him. You said his name was Akuma, right?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Yeah, that's what he calls himself. And apparently, he wants to have me for some reason or other. I don't quite know what it is yet, but I'm not letting him touch me with a ten foot pole." She grinned and said, "But it's still kind of a dream to me… I'm _actually_ going to get to travel with _Ryu_; follow him everywhere he goes, learn what he knows, watch him fight. What's not to like about this?"

Kei smiled and said, "Well I'm happy for you, but do me a favor and don't be too much of a nuisance. I mean, you can be awful clingy sometimes. And watch what you eat, okay? And try to at least send me some pictures, okay?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head and said, "Seriously Kei, could you stop that? I'm not someone you need to look after all the time. And besides, I already promised you that I'd send you e-mail. Any pictures are _mine_ to keep, and don't you forget it!"

Kei pouted and said, "You're no fun, you know that?" Then she smiled and said, "Hey, when you get up there and your name becomes famous, don't forget about us, okay? I mean, we're still your friends, no matter what."

Akio shrugged and said, "I'm not so sure that she'd remember me and these knuckleheads all that much, but I sure hope she does. I'd feel sad if that happened."

Sakura gave Akio a thumbs-up and said, "Don't you worry about that. I never forget a name, or a face. But keep those other guys in line, okay? They might go a bit crazy without me around."

Seiji and Daisuke lowered their heads and muttered in tandem, "At least don't say that while we're here…"

Sakura grinned and said, "Hey, I'm kidding! But seriously, you two never did tell me your names, did you? So now would be a nice time to tell me, so I can remember." They both lifted their heads, and for once, their day seemed to be looking up. After introducing themselves, Sakura smiled and said, "Well it's nice to meet you, but I doubt that names are gonna be enough…"

She placed a hand on her chin and thought for a moment before coming to a decision. "Well there's only one way to solve that one, and it's a picture!"

If there was anything that she was good at, it was taking pictures. And cooking as well, she added to herself. She wasn't that bad of a writer, either. Kei figured that Sakura could use that to her advantage, but she didn't think that her good friend would actually have the ambition to do so. Still, who knew? Maybe this would be the inspiration she would need to actually make something of herself.

That picture would be the last one that anyone had of Sakura for quite some time, to be honest. It would be a while before they saw each other again, perhaps years. But Sakura was following her dream to the hilt, just like everything else she did. Thus, Kei wasn't sad that Sakura was leaving for parts unknown. On the contrary; she was ecstatic, and a bit envious. Sakura was going to see the world, train in a martial art that was no doubt extremely powerful, and become someone that she herself could never have imagined.

'She'll get to know Ryu better than anyone else, besides maybe Ken. Yeah, I'm definitely envious. It's a shame that I won't get to meet him this time too.'

Come to think of it, she'd never met the American champion either, and Sakura already knew him. Oh yes, there were a lot of celebrities and big names in the world of fighting, more so than she had realized. And now, Sakura was going to join their ranks, or at least try her hardest.

Before she knew it, Sakura had her things together – camera, laptop, and a diary to record her travels, as well as several spare changes of clothing, all in one bag. "I'm not gonna lie to you guys," she said as she stood waiting for her bus, "I'm going to miss you all. I promise I'll write at least twice a week; no, three times!"

Kei chuckled and said, "If you can even remember to put your fingers to the keys in the first place, I'll be impressed." She gave Sakura one last hug, and couldn't stop the single tear that ran from her right eye. "Be careful, okay? And don't forget about us. I want you to look at that picture every day once you get it developed."

Sakura nodded and said, "You know I will. I'll e-mail you a copy of it, too."

Before long, the bus had arrived. Sakura did not hesitate to get on; in fact she almost leapt at the doors when they opened. Waving farewell one last time from the window which she peered out of, she settled down for the journey to the hotel. At that moment, there was nothing on her mind but the journey she was about to take and the training she was about to undergo.

Not even the man who was one unlucky location away from taking her somewhere she didn't want to go.

Still, there was that nagging doubt that he wasn't quite done coming after her yet. No, this was just beginning. She had a feeling that he was persistent and driven; anyone with enough power to tear the ground asunder like that had to be. But Ryu would keep her safe, right? At least until she was strong enough to handle him on her own.

'But when will that be? How long will it take until I can stand up for myself?'

As far as she could gather, this man was the master of Ansatsuken… how could she face him when he was able to fight Ryu to a standstill? The two of them were evenly matched in almost every way besides one, the methods in which they fought. One would not hesitate to kill; the other refused to. She could tell that much immediately.

Her mind became preoccupied with it, and Sakura didn't even notice the scenery pass her by. What did a man like Akuma want with her, to train her; to simply observe? Or did he want to kill her outright? At the second thought, she shuddered. What did she do to deserve death? Surely nothing that someone the likes of him would come after her for.

'I haven't done anything to hurt anyone. Why would he come after me?'

Thoughts and reasons and fears began to overcome her, until she hugged herself with her arms. Just the very thought of him made her apprehensive. But soon, her uncanny senses began to alert her as the hair on the back of her neck prickled. Her head lifted, and she saw that the bus had stopped in front of the hotel that Ken and Ryu were staying at.

She unfolded her arms and slapped her cheeks twice.

"Be strong… I have to be strong."

With that and a deep breath, she got off of the bus and began heading towards the doors of the hotel…

* * *

"You're late, Kasugano."

These were the words that Karin had ready for her rival as she entered the room. "I was starting to think that you were having second thoughts, but it appears I have misjudged you." She looked towards Ken and said, "So now that everyone's here, where do we begin?"

Ken shrugged and said, "Don't ask me; this is Ryu's trip. I'm just here to front the cash for this first leg."

The dark-haired man smiled and said, "And it's another thing I owe you for, Ken." He looked towards Sakura and said, "Do you have everything?"

She nodded excitedly and said, "Sure do! When are we gonna get this…" She paused for a moment, and then smacked herself on the forehead. "Well shit, I forgot to buy a gi, dammit! I can't go kicking and screaming without something to change into!"

Karin chuckled and said, "Everything but the most important thing, hmm? Typical." She sighed and said, "I'll just have to take care of it before we go." Before Sakura could protest, Karin barged onward. "Don't you dare try to do anything to pay me back, either. Of course, we're going to need your measurements and all that, but I'm sure we can find one in your size."

Then Karin paused and said, "Or they could just use mine. We're about the same, right?"

Sakura grinned and scratched the back of her head. "I guess you're right. I sure appreciate it!"

Ken smiled at the two before turning towards Ryu. He spoke to him softly as Karin made a call on her cell phone. "So then, what exactly do you have planned, anyways? I mean, this isn't going to be some impromptu trip, right? I'd like to know that you have a few places in mind."

Ryu's face was solemn. "I'm going to keep track of Akuma while we move. Anywhere we're going to be, he is _not_. That's the plan. I'm going to keep Sakura away from him for as long as possible until she's learned everything she needs to know. I don't know how long that'll take, but I'm willing to go the distance."

Ken sighed and said, "Man, that's not gonna work. He'll catch up with you sooner or later, and then what are you gonna do? You can't just tell them to hide somewhere; they'll want to help you fight him. Neither of them will be ready."

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you have a better plan?"

Ken shrugged and said, "Hell no. It's what I would have thought of, if I could sense him like you could. But this is gonna turn into one big game of cat and mouse, and I don't think that the girls have the stamina for it just yet."

Ryu nodded and said, "Sadly, we don't have any other choice. And by the way," he added, "You don't have to pay for a plane ride just yet. We're heading for Suzaku Castle. I want to make sure she gets this started the right way. We'll be staying there for a few weeks, maybe a few months, just so that she gets the basics."

Ken smirked and said, "Hey, whatever you say. I might as well come along; might be fun to spar with that Kanzuki lady. And I haven't seen the old guy in some time, so now's as good of a time as any to visit."

Ryu frowned slightly and said, "You know, you could do well to show a bit more respect to master Gouken. He did raise us, after all."

Ken grinned and said, "And you could do well to _relax_. I'm just kidding. Besides, I show him respect every time I get in the ring or get into a fight. I figure he wouldn't mind a few jokes on his behalf now and then, right?" Placing a hand on Ryu's shoulder, his blond friend smiled and added, "Everything's gonna be fine, okay? Despite how it looks, it'll turn out all right."

Ryu smiled wryly and said, "I hope you're right, Ken."

Karin had finished the call by now and said with a sigh, "It's a nuisance, but they will be here with it tomorrow. It looks like we'll be staying one more night before we actually get things underway. Is that fine with everyone?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Hey, as long as I have everything I need, another day isn't that bad. What I'm worried about is Eliza-san and Mel… are they gonna be okay with being here for longer than planned?"

Ken huffed and said, "They practically forced me to take them along with me. I doubt they'd mind, really. Besides, I'd always wanted to take them to the place where I used to train; might as well make good on it."

Ryu nodded in agreement. "That sounds fine. Once we get everything set up and ready, we're leaving immediately. For now, one more day of rest couldn't hurt." He looked towards Sakura for a moment before he said, "In fact, I think we might need it. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

Sakura certainly wanted it to be a long day. The more time she got to spend learning this fighting style, the better. Besides, she was getting to know Ryu a little better; there was nothing wrong with that in her mind at all. She didn't just want him to be a goal to reach or a mark to surpass.

'I want to be his friend. Someone he can rely on. I just hope he has time for that…'

* * *

**Round 6: **_**Farewell, But Not Goodbye**_

Sorry I took so long with this one. I had to think of the proper way to end it. But never mind, you all are waiting for the moment of truth when I post this, and far be it from me to hold this one back any longer. Sure it's shorter than the last one, but I want to limit each chapter to about 5000 words anyway. It makes the whole thing easier to swallow in my opinion.

So then, how was it? A brief little interlude when the heroes say goodbye to the lives they once knew. I think chapters like this are important for a bit more character development. But don't worry; I'll get to the ass kick soon. Bet on it.

_Can you march the way to glory?_


	7. No Such Thing as Easy

_Pain is not fun. It's a discomfort somewhere in the body; a complaint that is sent to the mind and is processed into information that something is wrong. It's also a fact of life in the martial arts of any country, no matter where its origins lie. This is especially true in Gouken-ryuu Ansatsuken, where one has to endure suffering in every hour of training._

_But I love it. I love pain, and it's not some sick fetish. I love pain because of what lies beyond it. The clarity of mind that one reaches after enduring such trials is unmatched by anything. What lies beyond pain is akin to a sort of nirvana. It's both easy and difficult to explain in mere words- one has to have experienced the training for one self to fully understand._

_Besides, if it doesn't hurt, you can't tell whether you're improving or not. If the discomfort stops, then you've surpassed one trial, and have to look for another. Pain is advancement and growth; it's not always torture._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Sakura was in pain.

Everything complained and whined and begged for attention; for mercy. Her stomach was a mess, her shoulders stung, her feet and hands and forearms ached like never before, and her legs had been turned into a mess of sensory overload that could be described in two words – fucked up. She attempted to ignore it all as she took another drink from the nearby stream.

Dinner was almost ready, and it was high time that she had something to eat. Mind you, she had to cook something up sooner or later, but tonight there was nothing wrong with someone else doing it for her. For now however, she was on her own, taking a break from all the hard, intense poundings she had received. She even considered taking a bath to soothe her wounds, but shook her head at the very thought of it.

'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, Kasugano. You said you could take it, so you're _going_ to take it.'

She had to keep telling herself this. She had to tell her mind to shut off; to stop complaining and stop whining and _endure_, damn it. But it just hurt so much. He hadn't pulled any punches, hit her and beat at her as hard as he could, and she had to stand there and take it with her eyes closed. This was iron body conditioning, originally part of Kyokushin style training.

She could smell the food, and it made her mind turn from things other than how much she was hurting. "It'd better be ready," she said as she walked over to the campfire where everyone was gathered, including Eliza and Mel, who had arrived along with everyone else. She was charmed with the place, as Ken knew she would be.

"Hey, there she is! You all right?" he said as he spotted her heading towards the cooking fire that had been set up.

Sakura grinned and scratched the back of her head. She didn't want to say it hurt. It would sound like she was complaining. So instead she said, "I'm fine, don't you worry about me! I've been expecting this kind of training from the beginning, and I'm not gonna back down now."

Ryu nodded approvingly, but said nothing. He'd do this again and again, he told her, every day they were here until she could no longer flinch or feel discomfort from his strikes. When Eliza saw what he was doing and had to disapprove of her own son going through it. "That's almost cruel and unusual punishment, Ken. Did your master put you through all this too?"

Ken nodded. "Before you learn how to properly execute a move, you have to be able to take one. I'm not gonna put Mel through this until he's older mind you, but it has to happen sometime."

Eliza couldn't help but sigh in relief at this. Still, with the way that Sakura was grimacing with every hit and how Ryu was not pulling any punches or kicks, she had to wonder if this was the right direction for her son, and even Sean to take. Still, she had to trust that her husband knew what he was doing.

"I hope you don't have too much fun doing that to Sean," she said as an afterthought. "You'll scare the boy half to death!"

Ken smirked and said, "I promise that I'll take it easy on the poor guy."

Of course, how much he would actually do to Sean would be a different story. Taking it easy was a rather loose term when it came to Ken Masters.

As they ate, Sakura thought back to the first time she had arrived here, and the first time she had spoken seriously with her idol-turned-sensei…

* * *

_Three days ago…_

Karin and Sakura took a look at the forest which they walked through, silently observing the beauty around them. Neither of them wanted to complain about whether they were 'there' or not; they simply took everything in. This was the first time that Karin had been to the woods near Suzaku Castle, but Sakura's memories retained every inch of the path they walked through.

She had been here once before, the first time she and Ryu had met. A smile came to her face as she remembered the battle afterwards, the way that he reluctantly accepted her challenge, the surprise at her use of the Hadouken and the subsequent copies of the Shoryuken and the Tatsumaki-Senpuu-Kyaku. The two of them had never exchanged words about it since that night.

She knew they were imperfect. She knew they needed work. And so she asked him to teach her. Then, he had said no, and she knew why by now. But now, she had the chance to get it right, and she would try her hardest, like always.

After a while of this silence, Ryu began asking his questions. They weren't exactly uncomfortable, but they were quite direct. The first one was easy enough to answer. "How long," he said, "Did it take you to learn the Hadouken anyway? For me it took quite some time to even get the principle down."

Sakura placed a finger on her chin as she attempted to remember the first time she had tried using it. Then she said, "I started watching you when I was fourteen, so… a year, I think."

That almost made Karin stop in her tracks, and even Ryu looked behind him. Only one year and she had learned, or at least started to learn how to use ki? To be honest, that was somewhat frightening. He began calculating in his head how long it would take for her to master the rest of it, but in the back of his mind, saving the answer for later. "That's impressive. So how long have you been training since then?"

Sakura grinned and said proudly, "Every chance I could get! Anywhere that I could fight at, I did; anywhere that I could train safely, I went to. College kinda slowed me down, but I didn't let it stop my efforts!" She folded her arms across her chest and said, "You'll see; I'm not the same as five years ago."

Ryu smiled and said, "Well, we'll see if that's true or not soon enough."

Karin shrugged, but also wanted to see how Sakura had improved, and how long it would take her to learn the style that she so wished to emulate. Yet she said nothing on the subject, asking instead, "So where are we going, anyway? We've been walking for an awful long time, and the castle is nowhere in sight." She didn't want to complain that her feet were aching, but that's exactly what they were doing.

"Just a bit more," Ken reassured them. "We're making a stop at a special location first; an important one. If you're gonna learn our master's style, this is the first place to be."

Sakura tilted her head to one side, but silently followed. If this was that important, then she would do it. But of course, she realized what exactly they were doing when she saw a headstone fifty feet away from them. "Is that…"

Ryu did not say anything, so Ken decided to respond. "…Yeah. That's Gouken."

They all looked at the gravesite with solemn expressions on their faces, and for a few minutes, went entirely silent. After this brief period of introspection, Ryu began to speak again. "Gouken… taught us that winning wasn't absolute. If one wanted to be the strongest, no matter what, they had to give up an important part of themselves. Some call it the soul, others call it conscience, and still others call it one's humanity.

"I guess you could say that Gouki lost all of that… all at once." Ryu sighed and said, "The Satsui no Hadou is extremely powerful, and can make those who immerse themselves into it unstoppable. But at the same time, they have to form a detachment from themselves and their emotions. On top of that, anyone can be corrupted by it, because it originates from being obsessed with victory to the point where one is willing to kill to achieve it."

Sakura's head lowered. She never wanted to be so cold. Karin grimaced as she thought about her family's motto. She was one bad day away from being just like Akuma… and now she was thankful for Sakura even more. But she said nothing, simply looking towards the headstone.

Ryu continued speaking. "The Chikara no Hadou on the other hand doesn't require anything like that. On the contrary; powerful emotions are important in the utilization of one's full energy. What it does require however is an absolute clarity of mind. So you can feel, certainly, but you can't let your feelings cloud your mind."

Sakura nodded silently, but said nothing. She began to see even more differences in the two forms of energy than just how they were used, and appreciated the form that Ken and Ryu were well-versed in. Ken, who was quiet all this time, began speaking as well.

"Ryu, we both know that I shouldn't be here." He looked towards him and said, "I promised him, here on this grave… that when I came back here, I'd have avenged him. I shouldn't even be visiting as much as I usually do, because I haven't fulfilled my vow."

The brunet shook his head. "We both know that the martial arts aren't for killing, though they certainly used to be. Death is an ugly thing, especially when one becomes an agent of it. It twists and corrupts you until you've killed so many, you can't get the blood off of your hands, even after you've washed so many times."

Ken looked towards the headstone again and said, "Yeah… but sometimes, you have to kill someone to stop them. Sometimes, you have to do what's necessary in order to protect everyone else. Killing out of anger, that's wrong. Killing to save a life or to stop someone's madness, though…"

Ryu shook his head and said, "It's still wrong. And Akuma is different."

Ken raised an eyebrow and said "Really now? And how do you know this?"

Ryu looked towards his blond rival and said softly, "Because he won't kill _me_. Back then, he didn't kill you, either. I don't think he kills wantonly, but only when an appropriate obstacle faces him. I don't think he fights random people, either; he fights only when challenged." Ryu looked back towards the headstone and continued. "I've fought with him so many times now that I think I'm starting to understand how he works. That's all."

Ken shrugged and said, "Well I can't begin to comprehend him, but he's after Sakura. That's all I need to know."

They began to stand, but Ryu could sense movement behind him. He knew who it was without even having to turn around. "Something wrong, Sakura?"

She said nothing as she approached. She didn't even look at either of them as she knelt in front of the headstone, staring intently at it. Then, humbly; respectfully, she bowed, her eyes closed.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Thank you for teaching me, through your pupils, what this style means and what using it means. You must be proud, watching over them now like you are." Her voice began to waver, filling with emotion. "I-I hope… I can make you proud too. Please watch over me as well."

Ryu looked towards her and the sudden thought that came up in his head was rather poignant. 'She's not just going to be good… she's going to be the _best_. All I have to do is keep her from the influence of the Satsui no Hadou.'

And then she caught that same fixed stare, her brown eyes earnest and pleading. "Enough sitting around," she said, "Let's do this. I want to start _right now_."

Ryu nodded and said, "All right, let's head for the castle. It's not far. I want you to get changed and be ready in less than five minutes once we get there. I'm not going to lie to you; I'm going to kick your ass until you're sore enough to have to _crawl_ towards your sleeping bag."

Sakura grinned. "Just the way I like it. Give me everything you know."

* * *

Sakura was dressed in a plain white gi with a white belt tied around her waist. Karin knew what she was doing after all; it was comfortable and fit her perfectly. Underneath, she wore her sea green sports bra and shorts, and her trademark white headband was around her forehead. But the red gloves that she was so often seen with were, once again, not present.

She wasn't going to spar, not yet. This was a time for learning the moves, the actual techniques. She was not going to put those back on unless she was allowed to, and that was that. But for the moment, she took a look around the castle, which was filled with all sorts of training equipment. Ken had been funding Ryu's meager teaching efforts, and the place looked rather respectable instead of being nearly barren.

A few heavy bags hung from the beams that supported the roof, and kick shields were neatly organized in a corner of the room they had occupied. Focus targets and mitts, forearm shields, almost everything one would need for a full-fledged dojo. One would think that Ken was giving Ryu hints, but every time he was asked what they were for, he said they were only "gifts to make things easier".

At the moment, Ryu had to admit that yes, this made things easier. But he was still used to training old-school, which was why Sakura was simply standing there, hands held upwards with the elbows slightly bent and upturned, open palms. Karin stood on the far end of the room, watching as Ryu took his gloves off.

Sakura hadn't seen him take them off before, and her mind registered this as a bad sign… but she stood still, watching him.

Ken however, knew what it meant. "Here we go," he said under his breath.

Ryu turned towards Sakura and said, "I want you to stand perfectly still during this. It's going to hurt, and you are going to feel a lot of discomfort. But trust me; I won't do anything too bad to you. You ready?"

Sakura nodded silently, but in reality, she wasn't really. 'What is he going to…?'

WHACK. His right fist sunk half an inch into her stomach. Sakura winced as her insides seemed to twist slightly. The left fist followed in short order, and it moved inwards with equal force and impact. She winced again, and couldn't help but shake. It stung, and that was putting it lightly. He hit with his left, right, and then left again before he began whacking at her legs with open handed blows.

And they were straight to the femoral nerve. Sakura felt her legs tense and twitch as Ryu demonstrated his knowledge of the human body. A visible grimace began to fix on her features as she sat there and took a beating, occasionally following Ryu's instructions when told to switch hand positions. She found that her arms were becoming relieved every time he did so.

Soon enough, everything began hurting- her shoulders and back, her sides and stomach, and her legs were in the worst shape as Ryu began executing low kicks to the same target that his hands had made contact with. The worst part was he didn't stop for an hour.

When she was allowed to rest, she already felt like she had been run over by a bus.

Ryu grinned and said, "Sorry about that. I certainly hope you'll forgive me for it. How was it?"

Sakura was still breathing hard when he had asked the question, but she managed to answer him. "Intense," she said breathily. "I've never had that happen to me before, not without hitting back. But I know it's for a good reason, right?"

Ryu nodded and said, "It is. Can you guess?"

Sakura shook her head slowly for a moment. She couldn't see the point of all that, unless it was for just pure torture. Then again, there were some people who had been hit so many times that… her eyes widened. "It's a conditioning training, right? I mean, you're teaching me how to take a hit."

He smiled and said, "You got it. I would teach you a few moves first, but I'd rather begin at the very basics. If you want to throw a move, you have to be able to take a few as well. But there's another thing. I'm betting you hurt all over," he said with a laugh, "But that's just your mind telling you to give up. But that's the thing- pain is only a temporary state. It'll last for a while and then fade, and turn into something else."

Sakura sat there quietly as Ryu spoke, transfixed by his words. Karin looked on, impressed. It appeared that he had done this before. When she looked around for Ken and Eliza, they were no longer anywhere to be found, and neither was Mel. 'I guess,' she thought, 'they couldn't watch what was going on. Or at least, Eliza-san couldn't.'

She shrugged and muttered, "It's not for everyone… that's for sure."

But soon the rest was over, and it was back to more beatings. Though she grimaced and gritted her teeth, she no longer wanted to run back home. At times, her stance faltered and she had to reposition herself, but she was definitely going to stay the course. Soon, the regimen changed- her forearms were the next to get a sound beating, and he even delivered a high roundhouse kick to her head while her right hand was guarding, bent at the elbow.

She was almost knocked down, but managed to regain her position. 'Brain, shut up… this is for your own good!'

It was easier said than done. By the time Ryu had called an end to this part of the training, three hours had passed… and she was bruised everywhere. Her mind reeled at the notion that this was only the beginning, but she clamped down on her worries. She wanted to learn this style, and she was damn well going to, even if it killed her.

Hell, it just might before it was all over!

* * *

"Again, and put your hips into it this time!"

"_Osu_!"

The ball of Sakura's right foot rammed into the kicking shield, her hips jutting forward and her left foot pivoting just slightly. The kick dug three inches into the bag, sending Karin stumbling backward a bit. "Good, reset… again!"

She was learning from the ground up, starting from square one. It was moving from the first kick, the first punch, the first _everything_. Karin had decided to help out with things, and thus she was given the thankless task of being a training dummy. Oh, she was going to pay someone back for this joke, if it was one. She knew perfectly well that if that kick landed on the unfortunate soul that was in its path, they would have the wind knocked out of them.

"Okay, higher target. Kanzuki-san, brace yourself," Ryu said with a nod.

Karin nodded, setting herself up for the high front kick that was more than likely aimed for the imaginary opponent's throat or jaw. "And… go!" Sakura kicked outwards, her right leg snapping towards some poor soul's jaw. It impacted neatly into the bag a few inches before Sakura retrieved it. But of course as a side effect, Karin stumbled back again, this time a bit farther.

'Geez, take it easy. Curb your enthusiasm a bit, Kasugano.'

Yet she smiled at the prospect of her rival getting stronger before her eyes. She would have to train hard as well in order to keep up, and that's exactly what she was here to do. She had all the equipment she needed, and she would put it through its paces. Not to mention she wanted to spar with Ken, touted as the United States Champion. It was only a title to her until he proved it.

"All right, that's that one. Next, let's go ahead and do a roundhouse. Ken likes these quite a bit, really. Karin, stand back for a second," Ryu said as he stood in front of Sakura.

She looked towards him for a moment before asking, "Hang on a minute. Why exactly does Karin get to hold the bag? I mean, she's here to train too."

Ryu shook his head and said, "Ken told me about her. She's got multiple black belts in various styles, Sakura. She doesn't need to learn, she already knows. You on the other hand," he said with a smirk, "Haven't had any formal training at all. You're practically starting from scratch. So yeah, she gets to hold the bag."

Sakura sighed and said, "Hai, sensei," before getting into the ready stance. Karin couldn't help the superior smirk that came onto her face. But then that smirk evaporated when Sakura was told to practice on the bag.

'It must be karma,' she lamented as Sakura rammed into the bag with a left roundhouse kick, exactly as Ryu had described it to her. Her shin slammed into the bag, making Karin wince as the bag gave way as if cringing in fear. Ten times with each leg before Ryu nodded and said, "Right, now let's make it faster. Like this…"

Ryu briefly settled into stance and performed the same kick… only with such speed that his right leg was a blur. Karin's eyes widened as she observed his movements. Incredible was the word for it. Such a simple kick, but when it came out at that speed, no one would see it coming. Sakura couldn't help but stare as well.

"How did you do that?" They both seemed to ask in tandem.

Ryu smiled and said, "I'll show you. Sakura, come here."

It was simple, actually. Just changing the angle of the knee by a few degrees made a big difference in the execution time of a well-placed kick. One of those to the head, either fast or at full power, would definitely mess things up. But of course, that was only the beginning.

Ryu demonstrated a variation of the kick that involved an extremely high-speed turn of the waist and the foot crashing down on the intended target like a hammer driving towards a nail. Karin knew what this one was, and was almost frightened at how it could be used to devastate someone.

'That's the smash kick, but I don't know if she can do it.'

Sakura paid close attention though. She was a surprisingly fast learner as well, given the circumstances. So when she was actually asked to perform the kick… she did fairly well, to be honest. Still, Ryu shrugged and said, "We'll have to work on that one. Your waist isn't in the right alignment yet. Do it again and turn a bit faster."

The second time, the kick flew towards its intended target with a vicious force that made Karin wince. Still, this was the one that Sakura needed to practice, and for that she was somewhat glad. But of course, she wasn't so glad anymore when she was turned into the training dummy again. The one thing to be glad about all this was the fact that she wasn't actually getting hit by any of these moves.

'Just one would knock me clean out if I left myself open.'

She would just have to make sure not to do that.

* * *

Over the next two days, Sakura recognized a pattern of sorts. She would wake up early in the morning – or rather, be woken up by Ryu – and the conditioning would begin. Of course, there wasn't only the iron body training. There was the makiwara board. For a few hours each morning, they hit the boards, Ryu teaching her various hand strikes and techniques.

Then, they ran. Oh yes, simply ran to their next destination. Everywhere they went, they were running. That suited Sakura just fine, because running was one of the things she was good at. It gave her time to clear her mind. Running was a sort of meditation for her, because her body already knew the proper way to run without her mind being involved in the process.

They hit trees, without cord or anything wrapped around them. Just plain hit them. Sakura was a bit daunted by this, but when Ryu rammed his fist into one without hesitation and appeared to be unscathed, Sakura was awestruck at the dent he left in the supposedly strong trunk.

"Start out easy. That's just the end result, but you'll just hurt yourself if you try and do that all the time. I just want you to go until it starts hurting, and then stop. This is gonna take some time to accomplish."

It was after about two minutes that Sakura actually stopped, and her hands were throbbing like crazy. By the time the sun crested the horizon, it was time to get to eating. Of course after they ate and had a nice break, it was meditation time in the castle, just before the real workout commenced. They did the kicks, punches, stances, strikes, over and over again for hours, and sometimes the same one for an hour or two, to get it out of her head and into her heart.

Every day she seemed to learn something new, and her confidence grew. But there was still a long way to go. Of course, on the third day, she had to keep her promise. So just before dinner, she asked to write her friends. Fortunately for her, Karin was there to her rescue, and via satellite, she was able to use the internet on her laptop.

Technology is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

_Dear Kei,_

_It's been three days since I started this whole thing, and I'm tired already. Well, not exactly tired, but in pain, stressed, and tired all at once. To be honest though, it's great. I've been learning well from Ryu, and it feels like I'm accomplishing something every morning I wake up. I have to tell you though, it's grueling stuff._

_We train not for one hour, but for several. It's almost a sun-up to sun-down thing, with some breaks in between for rest and food. This is pretty much life for him, and now it is life for me. But don't you worry about a thing; I'll find a way to make something of myself. Well, at least I'll try to. At least now I get to actually demonstrate my talent in cooking things!_

_Ken of course, is doing fine. You should really see his son, Mel; he's so cute! I bet he's gonna be a real bruiser and a lady killer when he grows up, but for now it's really fun to watch him throw punches and kicks around. Eliza is nice too, and she speaks Japanese as if she had lived here for a few years. I can't imagine how long it took her to do that, but I'd like to find out._

_And then there's Karin. We haven't sparred since that day in front of the cafeteria, but she keeps on giving me looks, as if she wants a fight to break out at any time. When she looks at me like that, I feel honored, really. Someone like her, who has black belts in multiple disciplines, considers me a worthy foe. I have to stop myself from blushing half the time!_

_I hope you don't think anything weird about that – I don't like her that way. We're more like nakama than anything else. We understand each other._

_We're about to have dinner, and Eliza seems to be insistent on cooking this time. I sure hope it turns out all right, though I'm not that worried. Ken tells me she's good at it. Oh, and I'm really sorry that I don't have any pictures right now; things have been kind of hectic! I'll get some sent to you in the next mail, if I can._

_Your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

* * *

**Round 7: _No Such Thing as Easy_**

I have nothing much to say on this author's note, just a quick heads-up. I'll be working on other stories pretty soon, and that means this story may be put on the backburner after Chapter 10. Still, I won't forget about all those supporting me. To be honest, I feel relieved that people are actually reading it, but saddened that there are no reviews.

No worries though; that won't stop me from writing. Once I get a crazy idea like this in my head, it's stuck there until I get it out. And this one's coming all the way out, to the very end. Expect great things from our fighter girls!

_Go for broke!_


	8. Fixing the Cracks

_Being a warrior doesn't mean you can't live a normal life. At least, that's what Karin says. But life has never been normal for me; not really. I have odd dreams and way too much energy. I can't be just a school teacher or a law student or anything else. I doubt I could ever do anything normal at all, because of one simple fact._

_I love to fight._

_It's in my heart and in my soul. When I was younger, I had no ambition, no sort of drive at all. I was just a little kid who took life as if it were a river, just coasting along. It was the same when I started high school; all talent, no desire to use it. I had great athletic skills- heck, I could run faster than anyone else I knew on the track team. But I had no desire to use anything I knew, none at all._

_Then I saw him one day and everything clicked into place. Watching him fight in that tournament opened my eyes. A dream unfolded in my mind as I stared at the screen. It wasn't him fighting anymore, but me. I was doing the moves, leaping ten feet into the air, spinning around like a living hurricane, and firing ki from my hands._

_I never forgot what I saw that day. I just kept on doing those same moves, practicing time and time again, and in my head that those moves were executed just as I had imagined them. When you do that for a whole year, that visualization… it becomes instinct. The mind forgets, the body remembers, and everything comes to life._

_When I was fifteen, two months after my birthday, it happened. It was barely noticeable, just a tiny spark, but I felt a heat in my hands, and suddenly there was a blue surge of energy coming from them. I stared in shock; was that real? Could I have actually done all that?_

_I tried again, focusing a bit more this time, trying to get my mind to silence itself. It took me a good twenty minutes to get that done. I channeled my energy into my hands, my back leg pushing into the ground. My hands grew hot again, and I was tempted to look down towards them, but I didn't. I took a deep breath and shouted as I pushed off of my back leg, toes digging into the grass._

_It came. It was the real thing; I was using the Hadouken._

_And my mind was fixed forever. I was going to fight, and no one would stop me!_

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Within the confines of the forest, at the bank of a lake with waters as clear as crystal, the sounds of a pair of fists hitting a very solid rock were heard. A nearby waterfall rushed downwards along the cliff side, and it was near this scenic backdrop that Sakura was training today. The sound of water crashing down with thousands of pounds worth of force calmed her somewhat.

The pain wasn't that easily ignored, though. After all, it had been only seven days since she had started embarking on this journey, and for most, it took months, if not years to condition their fists and feet to the point where their strikes could penetrate two to three inches into skin and muscle without pause. After all, that was exactly how much it would take to do some damage to internal organs and break ribs.

But if there were one thing about Sakura, it was her sheer, unbridled determination. When she set her mind about something, any obstacle in her way was handily removed. Combine this with her eidetic memory and intuition, and she was what one would call a fast learner.

But there was nothing fast about conditioning oneself to be able to withstand the rigors of combat. No, that would take a good while to do, and it would be painful almost every step of the way. Sakura could definitely attest to that, especially after two minutes of ramming her fists into the rock.

'Damn that hurts! But I can't stop now,' she brooded as she switched strikes. When her knuckles started hurting, it was time to train a different part of the hand. Ryu informed her that every part of the hand could be used as a potential weapon- the heel of the palm, the fingers, the knife's edge; even the thumb.

That particular demonstration had been… enlightening. Three boards, each an inch thick, and he had gone through them like a hot knife through butter with the thumb of his right hand. Sakura wanted to do that. In fact, she wanted to do more than just that.

But what she _wanted _to do and what she _could_ do were so far apart at the moment. She knew that. And so she trained, ever since that first day, to make it happen. But she knew it would take at least a month or two for her to get anywhere near where she wanted to get, so she trained. And not just the hands, but the feet, forearms, shins, anything she could hit with.

Ryu simply sat there and watched her, his gloves back on again. He didn't have to encourage or yell; she was doing it all on her own, and it was fascinating to watch. Whenever she was taught something, she would be able to do it on her own without having to be informed of how, and it amazed him. She had so much promise…

Then he grimaced. 'Akuma probably knows this too. If he doesn't, he'll find out sooner or later. I have to keep her moving.'

But not yet; no, not until he was sure that Akuma was on the move. When he moved, so would they. But for now, Ryu felt safe in the knowledge that he was not coming after them just yet. But as he was thinking about this, the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. His head snapped to look at Sakura, and he noticed that she was about to deliver a particularly hard strike on the rock.

"That's enough," he said, almost too urgently. Sakura's right hand stopped a mere inch from its target.

He sighed in relief. Had that strike gone all the way, she would have been utterly destroyed. No fighting with a shattered right arm! "Okay, take a break. You've been doing that for almost twenty minutes; you've gotta be hurting."

Well now that Sakura thought about it… oh, crap. NOW she felt it. The welts, the stinging, the pain, the numbness… she gritted her teeth and hissed. "Yeah, I'm hurting."

Ryu nodded and said, "Well let's get that Tiger Balm on you. Come here for a moment…"

He always carried some of the stuff around, just in case, and Sakura definitely needed it at the moment. As he rubbed it in, but not too much, she asked him a question that would probably be important for later. "Um… Ryu-sensei, I need to ask about the Hadouken."

He nodded and said, "You're wondering why yours seems to cut out before reaching its target."

She blinked, wondering how he had managed to guess what her question was. But before she could ask, he said, "I had the same problem when I was training with it for the first time. For the longest time, I didn't know what was wrong; whether it was me or the technique." He closed his eyes and said, "I tried focusing as much of my ki as possible into it, but it just didn't go very far."

Mi-na sweat dropped and said, "Yeah, I have that same problem. Also, mine's too small…" she sighed and said, "It might be just me."

Ryu nodded and said, "Well, how big can you make it?"

She blinked for a moment, wondering if he were serious. "You… want me to show you?"

He nodded and said, "Sure, why not. It'll be a nice change of pace. And besides, you're going to have to learn sooner or later." He stood and said, "Let's take that rock you were hitting a while ago as a target, and see what you can do against that."

She grinned and almost hopped upwards. "All right, I'll give it a shot!" With that said, she settled into stance, bringing her palms together, one above the other, and allowed her mind to empty itself. Before, it took her almost an hour to do. Now, when she entered into the familiar stance, it happened almost instantly. The energy was there, ready for her.

Ryu watched silently, wanting to see what she was capable of before making an assessment.

The ki simply came forth, her mind entirely devoid of discursive thought. There was no logic, no rationale; she just felt the energy come forth, through the ground, towards her hands, and the heat was there. Then she brought more of it to bear, and the sphere in her hands began to take shape, almost ice blue in color.

Ryu nodded, but didn't say anything just yet.

She focused more into her hands, and the ball of energy became larger and larger… and soon it was the size of Ryu's own when he used it most of the time. Then she charged it once more, felt the ki pressing against her hands, trying to spread them even wider… and as soon as she felt this, she pushed off of her right leg, stepping forward with her left. Before that left foot hit the ground again, her hands were already in motion from the starting position to the finish.

"**Hadouken**," she shouted, and let the surge fly forward. But there was a problem… it only went so far before it fizzled out. And as usual, it didn't even get halfway to its destination before it simply vanished.

She sighed and shrugged. "See? It's just not happening."

Ryu nodded and said, "I've noticed." Then he placed a hand on her right shoulder and said, "But you have the principle down. I could feel your ki, the clarity of your mind, everything was on point. But there are several things missing." He gently moved her aside and prepared himself to execute the exact same move.

Her eyes widened as his ki came forth much faster. "How…"

Before she could finish, he began to speak. "Your first problem is that you don't put _all_ of your energy into it. You have to focus it into your hands all at once in order for it to be anywhere near strong. Don't just build up over time. Don't be afraid of how big you can make it. Just do it."

Sakura's mouth closed and she nodded, transfixed by what she saw.

"Now… here's the second problem." He breathed deeply, and then the next few movements were almost a blur to her. One second he was in stance, and not but half a second later, "**Hadouken**!"

It flew, and Sakura could feel the sheer authority behind the surge. As if things were moving in slow motion, she watched as the rock that was all of ten feet away was entirely demolished by his ki attack. And the wave kept on going, moving across the lake and finally burning out before it hit the cliff side.

He turned around and said, "What did you see that was different from yours?"

Sakura had to pull herself out of the trance she had been brought into, blinking a few times in order to get her mind back together. "Umm… yours was much faster." She scratched the back of her head and said, "I could barely even see you move, and it just went so far!"

Ryu nodded. "That's exactly right. You've got the ki, but you aren't using all of it at once. You've got the form, but it's not fast enough." He walked towards the rock and placed his hand on the shattered remains. "It's just plain physics from the point you gather your ki: acceleration turns all that energy you've gathered into force. The faster you move, the farther it goes."

He turned towards her and said, "So let's start with the basics. Get into your stance, but don't use any sort of energy at all."

Sakura nodded and settled into the ready position. Ryu nodded and said, "On my signal, I want you to go from start to finish, but as fast as you possibly can. You're not throwing the attack yet, you're learning how to throw it faster. Ready!"

Sakura prepared herself. This was going to be crazy… but then again, so was everything else! If she could perfect this, get it down… it would be her dream, fully realized. But could she? Could she move that fast, releasing all that energy in no more than a split second?

All doubts vanished. She would do this. However long it took her to do it, she would do it.

"And, strike!" Sakura moved. Her hands shifted forward, her back leg pushed, her front leg stepped forward. But it was out of control; off balance. She could feel it in her bones, it was entirely wrong. She settled back into stance again before he told her to reset, which was convenient.

"Again, strike!" She moved again, and went out of alignment. Her face screwed up in a mask of frustration. This was much, much harder than it looked! She settled into stance one more time, feeling silly for doing so. But she had to try!

"Again, strike!" She moved a third time, and messed up a third time. Sakura growled, gritting her teeth. "I don't understand! What's wrong? I _know_ the form, I _know_ the move, so why…"

Ryu placed a hand on her head and said, "No one's trained you in this before, right? You learned it on your own, and that's impressive. But you can't do everything on your own. We're gonna start doing this slowly, from the beginning, until it's all one smooth, controlled motion. And when it becomes smooth, speed will come on its own. Understand?"

Sakura sighed and nodded. "Let's get this done, then."

With that, she trained for the Hadouken, from the very beginning. As she mimicked Ryu's movements and steps, the frustration slowly faded from her mind. This too, was important, and she knew it. She would train for as long as she could, as often as she could, until things improved.

Ryu however, knew that she would learn, certainly enough. And he had a feeling that she would learn this particular move, and the others, not over the course of a few years… but in mere months. It had taken her a year to master the principle of Hadou where it had taken him several, training since he was a child. How long would it take her to utilize the other techniques, when mastering the first principle essentially led to the other two?

He tried not to think about it.

Half an hour later, Ryu stopped quietly, without saying anything, and watched Sakura's slow, almost exaggerated movements. It looked odd to the person who was not well-versed in the martial arts, or even the particular style, but those that knew what she was doing would nod their heads appreciatively.

It was almost a form of Tai Chi, and it used the same principles: total relaxation of the muscles, feeling the flow of energy through the body, proper breathing, visualization, and repetition. If she did this enough times, he knew that she would be able to move as fast as he did.

But how long would it take? It boggled his mind when he thought about it; actually put it to numbers. He estimated that, by the end of that month, she would be able to unleash a full-fledged Hadouken with perfect form and top speed. It might have been a bit crazy, but somewhere within the part of him that did not rely on anything logical, he knew she would progress that far.

But that was looking too far ahead. By the time an hour was over, Sakura had done several repetitions of the same movement, without even noticing he had stopped doing it with her. "Okay, that's enough for now," he said, and Sakura halted, turning towards him and bowing.

"Thank you for the opportunity to teach me this. I won't let you down," she said softly.

Ryu nodded and said with a smile, "I know you won't. All right, let's go back. It's almost time for lunch."

* * *

"All right, hit it!"

Mel's right knee rammed into the kicking shield that Ken held for him, but didn't really do much yet. Still, he had good form. It'd be a while before he could get the strength that he needed, but right now it was just important that he learn the moves.

"Okay," Ken said encouragingly, "Now the other one!"

Mel fired a left knee at the same target. "Good hit! Very nice, now do ten of 'em, one after the other. And… go!"

Karin watched from afar as Ken trained his son in the ways of Gouken-ryuu Ansatsuken. And to be honest, it seemed like any other martial art. It wouldn't be all that bad if the boy were able to defend himself and others against bullies and the like, and who knows? He might even win a competition or two.

But then again, he would have to branch off on his own path sometime. As she looked on, she wondered how he would make the style into his own, and smiled as she thought about it. He looked so into it that he didn't even notice anyone watching him- completely absorbed into his training. When was the last time she had been that way?

'The only time I can lose myself is when I'm fighting with Sakura. I focus all of my concentration on one point, one opponent. She is my goal, my mark. Yes, I have a life, friends, and business to attend to. But she has the _fight_. I don't know what she's going to do to make money, but it's certainly going to be something related to training herself, or others.'

It had to be. She didn't seem like she could do anything else… well, writing, perhaps. Sakura certainly was an avid writer as far as she could tell. After all, Karin had made it a point to be in the same classes as her rival; she would know. Maybe she would be able to make something of herself other than just a fighter.

But for now, she couldn't see that happening just yet. Sakura had to be recognized for what she was good at first before branching out. And right now, that was fighting. She knew how to fight, but did not know the entirety of the style she was using. If she did… who knew what she could accomplish?

Karin couldn't wait to find out.

Just thinking about Sakura got her blood rushing through her veins. Karin needed to do something, anything. She looked over towards one of the heavy bags that were hanging from the support beams and said to herself, "Just you wait, Kasugano. I am going to catch up to you."

As the sound of kicks and punches was heard through the castle, Ken stopped what he was doing for a moment and looked behind him. Karin was training at last. Why she had waited a whole week to do so, he had no clue, but the sight made him smile. "Son, there is a woman you don't want to make angry, besides your mom."

Mel peered towards Karin and said, "She doesn't look that tough. I bet you could take her, dad!"

Ken chuckled and said, "You think so, huh?" The thought hadn't hesitated to cross his mind- on the contrary, he had been eager to test his skills against this style that he had never seen before. It was fresh, original, and unorthodox; he liked the unexpected, because he used it himself.

But he wouldn't, not yet. He'd wait until the last minute, just before he headed back to the states. Right now he had to focus on teaching his son how to defend himself. He put the thought of challenging Karin Kanzuki out of his mind for the time being and said, "All right Mel, focus. Show me your best side kick. You know the one I showed you?"

He grinned and nodded. This was obviously his favorite one. Ken held up the kicking shield and said, "Okay, ready!"

Mel shouted as he kicked towards the bag, the heel of his right foot extending outwards as he pivoted on his left. It wasn't enough to knock Ken backwards, but it did show proper execution. "All right, again!"

It was starting to sound like an actual workout in a typical, although small dojo, when Sakura and Ryu came back. "We're home, guys!" Sakura said as she waltzed into the main room with a grin on her features. "Who's ready for lunch?"

Mel stopped kicking and raised his hand, hopping excitedly. "Me, me, I am!"

Ken chuckled and said, "Well you sound confident. You sure you don't want to let Eliza cook this time too? I mean, we'll only be together like this for so long. You won't get to have this kind of good eating again."

Sakura nodded. "I know that, but I feel like I haven't been doing enough around here to help. Don't worry; cooking is one of my talents. I'll go and ask Eliza-san for help, but I don't think I'll need it too much. Everyone get ready, okay?"

She headed outside, leaving Ken to wonder why she was in such a good mood… and whether or not he should stop her before she poisoned someone. "What ants have gotten into her shorts lately?"

Ryu shrugged and said, "I just showed her the proper way to execute the Hadouken. Mind you, she hasn't thrown a single ounce of ki yet, but I'll get her to that sooner or later."

Ken smirked and said, "You're enjoying this, aren't you? Teaching her, I mean. I don't blame you; someone with that much potential deserves to have a good mentor. Besides, better you than Gouki." His facial expression changed as the topic of conversation switched to something graver. "So is he on the move yet?"

Ryu shook his head. "No, and we should be grateful for the time being. I know it won't last, so I'm trying to train her as hard as I can, as often as I can. I think within the next few months, she should show significant progress. It's hard to tell for sure, though."

Ken raised an eyebrow. "She'll get better in a few _months_? That can't be right. Usually it takes a few years to even get the basics down, much less the conditioning. Are you sure you're reading her the right way?"

Ryu nodded and said, "It's going to take her half the time. I'm sure of it. Maybe that's why Gouki wants her – he sees the same things in her that we do. Either way, I can't let her fall into his hands. You understand why I'm doing this now, right?"

Ken nodded. "Yeah… if what you're saying is true, her potential is limitless. Anyone would want her, or want to fight her."

Ryu folded his arms across his chest and said, "Well I'm not going to let her spar until she has the basic moves set up. Fortunately, that should happen by the end of the next few months. If she keeps going at this pace, she's going to learn everything she needs to stage both an offensive and defensive attempt in the proper fashion. Then we'll see what happens from there."

Ken smiled and said, "It's good to see you believe in her so much. Well, we'll just have to see what's what, won't we?"

By the time twenty minutes had passed, the smell of good food began drifting towards the dojo, and everyone inside could smell it. "Okay Mel, break time! Let's go see if she's actually produced something worth eating."

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "For all the faith you have in her fighting, you don't have faith in anything else about her, do you Ken?"

He grinned roguishly and said, "That's because _you_ can eat _anything_, bud. My wife is the best cook in the house, if not in the world, and I'd like to see some amateur kid top her. You just watch; she's out of her league."

But of course, when it came time to eat what Sakura had cooked… the results were not as Ken had expected them. They had caught several fish during their time at the lake, and it was up to Sakura to cook them. To everyone's surprise, Eliza said, "If you want me to be honest, she did most of it. Sakura asked me for advice, sure enough, but… she cooked these fish."

Ken was speechless as he ate. The two of them had even picked the bones from the fish, making it a bit easier to chew the damned things. All in all, when he was finished, he looked towards Sakura and said, "I sure hope you can do this when you come over to the States. I bet if you asked her, Eliza could show you a few of her recipes."

Ryu smiled confidently and said, "What did I tell you? You really should have more faith in her skills, Ken. And I mean all of them."

Of course, when Sakura and Eliza began talking animatedly in Japanese, Ken was left behind by the speed of the conversation. He had learned most of the language from his extended time in Japan, but never at this speed and fluidity. How much exactly had Eliza learned since meeting him? But never mind; it was a pleasant surprise.

"It seems they're getting along just fine. It's almost a shame we have to leave soon."

Ryu nodded and said, "You just remember to look after Sean, all right? From what I can tell, he's got a lot of work ahead of him."

Ken scratched the back of his head and said, "Well you got that right. And don't hurt Sakura too badly, okay? I want his training partner to be good and ready for him when the time comes."

His dark-haired friend smiled and said, "Well that's going to be easier said than done. She might go and hurt herself without me watching her. But she's an adult; I trust she can handle herself. You should stay here for the rest of the month, see how she progresses, and perhaps even spar with her for a little."

Ken held his hands up defensively and said, "Thanks, but I'm already occupied with Mel. Besides, I already have someone I want to fight."

Ryu shrugged and said nothing further, but he could probably guess who Ken wanted to spar with. Karin would probably be staying here with him, just to train and keep up with Sakura. She seemed not to care about her other life for the time being and perhaps that was a good thing. Other worries were not good in this kind of environment.

Of course, lunch was over soon, and it was back to business as the long, rigorous hours of training continued. Sakura seemed eager to keep going, but didn't hesitate to thank Eliza for her help, or what little of it she gave. With that said, the journey continued…

* * *

It was the second time that Sakura wrote to Kei that week, as she had promised to do. Of course, she had successfully managed to take a few pictures: one of Ryu in meditation, another of Eliza while she was cooking, and a third with Ken and Mel training together. There were none of Karin just yet – she didn't think that her rival liked having her picture taken without permission.

As usual, she wrote to her friends just before dinner.

_Dear Kei,_

_It's been a whole seven days now. Sure, everything still hurts, but that's just a temporary thing. Sooner or later, I'll get over the pain and it'll be replaced by something else. Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be fine as long as I have Ryu and Karin with me!_

_Today, Ryu began teaching me the Hadouken, from the very beginning. He told me exactly what was wrong with my form and we began correcting it that very moment. I would tell you everything about it, but I'd rather keep it a secret for now. Wait until you see me next time- I'll show you what I can really do!_

_I've taken a few pictures for you guys. Hopefully, this will be your first actual glimpse of Ryu without his back turned. I would really appreciate some feedback – doesn't he look majestic, just sitting there at peace? I'd have taken a different picture, but this pose just called to me. Of course, there are pictures of Ken and his cute son, Mel as well. He's got talent, that's for sure. I might even spar with him someday._

_Just kidding, I wouldn't fight a little kid!_

_Eliza is pretty as always, and I think I impressed her with my cooking skills. She said that I was welcome to head to America and copy some of her recipes one day. You could come with me, if you want. She's a really good cook, and I hope to learn a lot from her too._

_So then, how's Akio? Are you two getting along all right? Maybe you two are getting along too well… I might have to come back sooner than I thought if that's the case. I'm kidding again, of course. And how are the two dorks, Seiji and Daisuke? I hope they aren't missing me too much, because that'd be just weird. Still, they're good guys, and I hope they're all right._

_I'm going to have dinner now. You should write back sometime, when you aren't busy with school. See you next week!_

_Your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

* * *

**Round 8: _Fixing the Cracks_**

And so it begins; Sakura's formal training in the Hadouken! Now, I have a few ideas for her that might overstep the boundaries of reality, but no one's ever really done this kind of thing before. Everyone's just focused on Sakura when she's under the influence of the Satsui no Hadou. I like to think that this is a new direction, and I'm going to have her invent some new methods.

I'd tell you what I had planned, but unfortunately I'm out of time and my fingers are starting to get sore. So I'll just leave you with a "thanks for reading". Note that I will be posting another chapter of an entirely different story very soon, one that people have been eagerly waiting for. So until I get that one done, I'll put this story on hold.

Stay tuned though, it's not over yet. Not by a long shot!

_Live and let die!_


	9. Proving one's Mettle

_There are over three hundred pressure points on the human body._

_These points are considered gates that energy happens to flow through. With enough pressure and timing, and the proper strike, one can open up or close one of these gates, increasing or stopping the flow at will. But it takes an incredible amount of skill in order to properly connect with a strike in the exact spot. When some of them are closed up, pain ensues; others will knock a full-grown man out in one swift move._

_People say they aren't real, that this flow of energy, this ki, doesn't exist._

_I know better. I know the truth._

_For example- ki can be emitted not just from the hands or the palms of the hands, but from anywhere one wants to channel it. Through any one of those three hundred or so points, one can focus and bring out one's energy. This is the principle of Hadou, the surge, and the Hadouken is the application of the principle in its most basic sense._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Yet another week had passed in sheer solitude. Sakura had almost lost track of time from being in the atmosphere of the castle, and everything seemed to slow down to a crawl. But that wasn't so bad; it meant that she could have more time to train.

And train she did, for yet another seven days as she hit, kicked, elbowed, kneed, and basically beat herself to a mess. Yet at the same time, she was perfectly fine afterwards, and always ready for another go. Ryu quietly watched over her, and the more times she practiced, the more he noticed that she was improving at a speed unlike anything he had ever seen.

It was in the middle of this specific week that Sakura was asked to perform, once again, the Hadouken. Sure, it hadn't even been the projected month yet, but he wanted to see how she was improving. Sakura said nothing, only bowed and prepared herself. While emptying her mind of thoughts was not so easy when she started training, now she could slip into her void without the faintest trace of concentration.

Ryu had stated that ki was everywhere; it was life force, and energy. His time in the mountains of China had taught him an entirely different name for it; chi. But it had the same principle behind it. With it, one could jump higher, run faster, hit harder, last longer. The Tai Chi masters were said to be able to heal themselves, and Shaolin's monks could bend the laws of gravity and the laws of speed.

It was the same everywhere, no matter what name one called it.

"On my signal, fire it off. First things first, I want you to get it ready. Remember; focus all of your energy into the hands, all at once."

She nodded silently and breathed in, feeling the air fill her; energize her. With her mind empty of rational thought, she could feel the points within her body activating like a series of small lights turning on. Training for as long as she did had already given her the state of mind needed to execute the technique.

She felt the ki flowing through her, and moved it towards the pressure points in the center of her palms. At once, it came, and she allowed it to fully manifest, all at once, instead of just bringing it to bear slowly.

Ryu nodded. "Good. Now get ready…"

She almost didn't hear him – her mind was filled with a void of limitless possibility. One hundred percent of her being was focused and channeled, as if there were nothing in her way. "Three, two, one… **go**!"

Sakura moved. Ryu wasn't even finished saying go before her body executed the move that it had been conditioned to do. But this time… it wasn't slow. This time it had speed behind it, a speed that was almost too fast to be seen. Instantaneously, she let the ki within her hands shoot forward and shouted, "**Hadouken**!"

And boy, did it ever move.

Across the lake it shot, a shockwave that was colored a frosty blue. Sakura took a step backwards and watched it fly wondering how far she had sent it. She didn't have to wonder for long as the projectile made it all the way, snuffing out as soon as it reached the cliffs. She grinned to herself and said, "If I had done all that earlier, I'd be much farther along, huh?"

Ryu nodded and said, "But you didn't know. You had no idea that it was so simple to improve, but you kept on training anyway, without even thinking about it." He placed a hand in her brown hair and ruffled it playfully. "Now you know. How did it feel?"

Sakura was silent for a moment… and then said, "It felt like nothing. I felt empty; not emotionless, but just plain empty. I could feel, sure enough: I could feel the flow of my ki, the way my body moved, the heat in my hands. I could feel it, but not a thought entered my mind. I just did it, and it came, and it felt like absolutely _nothing_."

Ryu smiled and said, "I've never really heard anyone explain it like that before, but that's about right." He placed a hand on her right shoulder and said, "I'm proud of you."

The grin widened. "Thank you very much, sensei! So what are we gonna do next?"

Ryu shrugged and said, "Well what do you want to do? This isn't my training, this is yours. You choose what you want to accomplish, today and every day. This was just one step along a very long, very hard road, but you took it, and in shorter time than I thought. You're nowhere near done, but you've made a big leap."

'And faster than I expected,' he added to himself. 'She's been using Hadou for so long that she's in tune with it.'

Sakura placed a hand on her chin and said, "I want to try and break something. I don't care if it's a board, a brick, or a block of ice, whatever. I think I can do it now."

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you sure? You haven't even really started with your training yet. How can I be sure that you're all right with it?"

Sakura smiled towards him and said, "I've been training for five years now, even before I started learning all this. The past few days, they've been fun, but now it's time to get some results looked at."

Ryu shrugged and said, "Well all right, but if you hurt yourself…"

Sakura shook her head and said, "I won't."

They headed back to the castle and saw Karin training on the heavy bag, one move after another being strung together. She barely noticed them coming in, but Ken was not so absent-minded. "Hey, they're back! Did you make any progress today?"

Ryu simply replied, "That's what we're going to find out. Bring out the boards; it's time to see what she can really do."

Ken grinned and said, "Hell yeah. Hey Karin, you might wanna see this!"

She executed one final palm strike on the bag and turned towards Ryu and Sakura. "See what? Did something happen while you two were out there?"

Sakura said nothing, but the excited grin on her face demonstrated otherwise. Oh yes, something had definitely happened, but she wasn't talking for now. Ken soon had a series of wooden boards, an inch thick. While Sakura knew perfectly well she wasn't at the level where she could penetrate with her fingers yet… she was certain about everything else.

"All right, let's see what you can do," Ken said as he held it in out to one side. "Show me your best punch, without any setup. Don't think, don't psych yourself up, just do it. Anytime you're ready."

Sakura only spent a brief moment getting into a fighting stance. Five years of training the exact way that Ryu was training her, on her own and by herself. She had managed to remain undefeated in her cage fights, and now, she was about to prove why.

Her right fist, held in front of her face, shot outwards as she exhaled. It met the board… and went clean through, breaking it in half. "Woo, now that's a punch! Let's see what you can do with two of 'em." Ken withdrew two boards, knocked them together, and held them up for her to attempt to break, one pressed against the other.

Sakura smashed through them with her left hand this time in a cross, not even hesitating for a second.

Ryu smiled and said, "Well how about that, you _have_ been training yourself just as hard as I've been training you. I heard from Ken that you've been something of a popular fighter in a few underground tournaments."

Sakura shrugged and said, "You know me, I can't stay away from what I do best. Karin saw me fight once; she can tell you for sure." The grin returned. "I want to break more of these. Where's another target?"

For the next few minutes, Sakura showed that she could indeed measure up to her reputation as she began a series of moves that cracked multiple boards in half, with both her fists and feet. The more impressive showing was when she broke twelve of those boards, stacked vertically, with a single axe kick. Ken whistled impressively, but Karin said nothing, having expected it already.

"All right, Sakura!" Ken said exuberantly, "Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Let's bring on the big stuff now…"

She knew what that meant- it was time to make things a bit more difficult. She didn't know what she was going to be breaking, but she knew it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as solid wood. Sure enough, Ken brought out bricks of solid stone, this time two inches thick for each one. "Okay, we'll start with one and go on from there. You need a towel or something to make it a bit easier?"

Sakura shook her head and said, "Thanks, but I got this." Two inches, that was enough to penetrate into solid flesh, skin and muscle, and break the bones underneath. She had done two inches before. This wouldn't stop her. But she added a bit of a twist to it.

Sakura lined up her elbow, just above the joint. "You wanna see me do it?"

Ken grinned and said, "Go for it. If you break something other than that brick, don't come crying to-"

With a shout, not even a warm-up, Sakura smashed the brick to kingdom come. Her elbow was still intact. "So what were you saying?"

Ken blinked, surprised at how easily she had done that. "Training for five whole years, huh?" He looked towards Ryu and said, "That's about how long it took for us to do all this, right man?"

Ryu smiled and said, "Just about. But she hasn't gone through the whole iron body training that we have, so she's got a ways. Still, this is impressive. Okay, let's skip two and three and just go to four bricks. I want to see how far she can take this."

Sakura nodded eagerly, hoping that Ken would actually do it. But the blond raised an eyebrow and said, "Hang on there, man. Are you sure that's safe? I know she's been training for a while, but these are two inch thick bricks. Four of them equal almost a good _foot_ of concrete. I know you guys are all pumped up, but…"

Sakura trained those big, beautiful brown eyes on Ken and said, "Do you trust me?"

He really had to think about that for a moment. Did he? Could she do this without getting herself hurt? There were too many factors to consider. But since when had he focused on factors, or let them get in the way? He shrugged finally and said, "Hell with it. I wanna see this!"

Karin nodded and said, "I'd like to try my hand at it next, but I would enjoy seeing if Sakura could accomplish all this."

Sakura bowed towards Ken and said, "Thank you. I promise I won't get myself hurt."

And Sakura was one to keep her promises. Besides, she had an idea.

Soon, the bricks were set up, and she set her right hand onto the very top of them, knife edge first. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all distractions, delving into the void of energy known as the Hadou no Chikara. She wanted to know how far she could take this concept …

The whole room went silent as the three who were not participating watched her focus. When her eyes opened again, she had the most tranquil expression on her face. Ken raised an eyebrow as he saw this change in her. 'Whoa… she's changed. There's no grin, no laugh…. nothing. She looks like a mirror.'

Sakura focused her energy towards the pressure point located on the center of the fleshy section of her knife hand. It was the part she was going to strike with, instead of just the bony lower edge. If this worked, she wouldn't feel any pain at all; her hand would just pass right through the bricks.

Then, she raised the hand once… twice… and then shouted, a shrill cry echoing through the castle. The sound of bricks coming apart, snapping neatly in half, was heard throughout the main hall. Her hand had simply passed through three of the bricks, and the leftover energy had transferred to the fourth almost on its own.

The strike that she had executed almost rammed neatly into the hardwood floor.

Ken was silent for all of five seconds before he grinned and said, "I think that's the end of the demonstration there. Our little girl is all grown up now. Too bad we don't have any blocks of ice, like the old days. She'd have a field day with those."

Ryu shrugged and said, "Who said we couldn't get any?" But while Ken thought she had just done it with sheer, brute strength and physics, Ryu could sense the Surge of Power. She had used it to slice those bricks clean in half, and it worried him. Intuitively, she was using it in more ways than just the Hadouken.

He counted himself fortunate that the Satsui no Hadou did not have a hand in it. He would have sensed it if it had. But that was all Sakura; her will, her energy, and nothing of the killing intent that Akuma used.

'So why am I still afraid? The energy she's using should be harmless, maybe enough to break a rib or knock someone's jaw loose. She can do exactly as we can- end a fight in one single move without killing the opponent. But what is this fear that runs through me?'

She was progressing quickly. And she was doing it _far_ too quickly. Maybe that was why.

Of course, all the fun stopped when Eliza walked into the room with Mel. "Dear me, it looks like you guys have had some serious fun in here! Well I'm afraid it's over for now, because it's lunch time. Come on before it gets cold, boys and girls."

* * *

Later that day, Sakura began to work on her kicks and strikes again, only this time she kept her mind clear of thoughts. She didn't move any of her ki just yet, simply lost herself in the flow of her attacks. Strikes and kicks that she had been practicing for five years went at the heavy bag, and each one went two to three inches into it, forcing the bag to give way.

Karin was the one who held it still, and she was having a hard time not being envious. 'She's been improving so quickly. All the moves; she's done them countless times, in real fights. Learning this style is just another milestone for her, but she's got experience. It's not going to take long.'

Karin had to work from the ground up to learn everything she had. Sakura however, just had natural talent.

The blonde shook her head and thought to herself, 'Well that just means I have to train even harder! I'm going to catch up to her one day, and then I can call myself her equal instead of her rival.' After all, they were still friends, no matter the gap between them.

Ryu called a time out and said, "All right, with all that's happened today, I want to keep going on the one kick you're having a problem with. You've made good on your other moves so far, but I have a feeling that your smash kick needs a bit more work." He looked towards Karin and said, "Thanks for helping out, by the way."

She smiled and said, "Well I have to pull my weight around here, you know; I can't just be a freeloader. Besides, you're doing a good thing for Sakura, and for me. I have to pay you back somehow."

He shrugged and said, "You really don't have to, but thanks for staying. You know, I think Ken wanted to talk to you. I think he's outside with Mel… why don't you go see what's up?"

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "He wants to talk to me all of a sudden?" It was… intriguing, to say the least. "All right, I'll go see what's up." She began leaving and said behind her back, "Don't hurt him too much, Sakura!"

She laughed and said in response, "I'll try not to!"

Ryu shook his head and said, "All right, focus. Remember, this is just a roundhouse kick with extra speed added to the twist. You've been practicing it for a few days now, almost a week. You should have it down somewhat. Show me on my mark."

Sakura got into stance, entirely relaxed. Ryu held the bag at an angle and stayed silent for a while, observing. 'She's got a good stance. It looks like she's evenly balanced, ready to move in any direction on a dime. We'll see about that.'

"And **strike**!"

With a shout, she lifted the leg, twisted at an extremely fast speed, and kicked out in one move. This time, the impact was very much like a sledgehammer that would no doubt cause some severe damage to the neck or collarbone. It'd hurt like hell, in other words.

"Good," Ryu said with a nod of approval. "That's the way. You're getting faster. All right, reset… and **strike**!"

"_Osu_!" She struck again, same leg. It would be a good move to use, just in case someone was being a bit too diligent about slipping under her attacks. Ryu smiled and said, "Good! Okay, we're switching legs."

For the next few hours, they practiced that one single kick and Ryu knew that she would get it down in a few weeks if they trained it time and time and time again. She wasn't ready for a full spar yet, but she would be soon. And when she was, they were going to leave the castle and begin going on the road.

She would have to train for at least another few months, perhaps a year, to get the rest of the moves down, but at least she was going somewhere. The second and third principles were yet to be fully learned, but they had enough time for her to learn them properly. At least, he hoped so.

'If Akuma doesn't move early, then we will certainly have enough time. But if he does, we'll have to cut it short, and I'll have to teach her on the fly. That's going to be a bit more difficult.'

But he would cross that bridge when he came to it. For now… "Reset… and, **strike**!"

"**Hyai**!"

* * *

Ken Masters looked towards the mid-afternoon sun, reflecting on why he was still here.

'I've done all I can to help Ryu get Sakura off to a good start. So far, it looks like she's gotten the hang of things. I really should be leaving to hold up my end of the bargain… so why am I still hanging around?'

Indeed, there was nothing keeping him here, no ties that bound him. He wanted to know why he was so inclined to stay here, to keep his wife and son here. He couldn't; there were things to do, other places to be, and people to find and beat some moves into. As far as he knew, the only reason he had stuck around was because he hadn't seen Ryu in quite some time.

"You wanted to see me?" A voice called out from behind him.

Ken smiled and turned to look over his right shoulder. "Yeah, I did. Come on, take a seat."

Perhaps this was the reason why. Maybe it was her, this young woman who was so much like him it wasn't even funny. Both had well-to-do families, both had their own interpretations of the martial arts; had damn near created their own styles and techniques. He had a wife, he had a son, and he was happy with them, but she shared the same spirit that he did.

"I wanted," he started out, "To ask you a few questions before I left, just to get to know you a bit."

Karin nodded quietly. She was listening, at least.

Ken continued looking out at the sun, its bright eye painting the sky. "So you've known Sakura for all these years, right? Since High School, I'm guessing."

Karin nodded and said, "That's right. I still remember the first time I heard of her, winning several victories in underground tournaments. I trained in my own little style and wanted to see if I could defeat someone who had proven combat experience."

Ken smirked and said, "And she beat you solidly."

Karin grimaced and said, "Yes, she did. Her moves looked silly and amateurish, but they still packed a mean punch. For the longest time, I couldn't hit her, I couldn't move as quickly. She danced circles around me, slipped beyond my attacks as if they weren't even there."

The blond American shrugged and said, "Well it wasn't like that with me and Ryu. I mean since we started training as kids, I've been able to have considerable standoff capability against him. Maybe that's because I knew his every move, his best tactics; his strategies. He was strong as hell, but since we trained against each other, I was able to predict and counter his moves."

Karin was silent. What if she and Sakura had trained together? Their two different styles would be at odds, but she would have a better understanding of how Sakura fought. Not for the first time did she wonder what would have happened if Sakura had been born of a higher caste, or her of a lower.

'Would we have met earlier, perhaps become friends?'

She smiled to herself. The thought of that didn't repulse her anymore, not like it used to all those years ago.

Ken placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Look, I know it's sudden… but I want you to fight me."

The Japanese blonde looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. "No kidding?"

He nodded. "No kidding. I have to see these moves for myself, and I have to know whether or not you're capable of staying with Sakura, no matter what. Traveling with Ryu is going to get you guys in some tight spots, and no matter how much natural talent she has, it's still going to take her a while to get everything down."

Karin smirked and said, "So until she perfects the style, you want me to act as a sort of bodyguard? Doesn't seem like a difficult job; she can take care of herself."

Ken shrugged and said, "I like to cover all my angles. You can still go with them if you want, but if you fight me and lose, I can't leave with a clear head. So are we gonna do this, or what?"

She was silent for a moment as she let the importance of this sink in. Here was a three time martial arts champion, asking her to prove her worth to him so that he would not worry about his friends. Ken seemed like a man who enjoyed taking things easy, though he could certainly defeat lesser foes without pause. But he also seemed to care for his friends and family.

Karin stood and stretched out for a moment, then took a deep breath. "All right, come on. Show me why you're the champion. Besides, it's all talk to me until you've proven it."

Ken grinned and said, "Hope you don't eat those words later."

The two of them soon stood within a clearing in the forest, all of ten feet away from each other. "What do you say we do this old-school," Ken called out to her, "Full contact. Blows to the face allowed since this ain't a ring. You get knocked out or call for mercy, you lose. But don't go for killing strikes, this is just a test."

Karin nodded. "I wouldn't do such a vulgar thing anyway. You have a wife and son to go back to." She settled into a fighting stance and said, "That said, I'm not going to pull any punches."

He settled into his stance and replied, "That's what I like to hear."

He didn't even wait to read her movements, simply came barreling forward with an alarming speed. Karin's eyes were calm and steady as she threw out a front kick, hoping to interrupt his rush down before it got to her. Sadly, Ken wasn't that foolish. He intercepted the kick and turned it to the side in classic fashion, stepping out to his right as he did so.

As soon as he finished that, his right hand was incoming towards her face in a cross. Karin swiftly ducked under it, instinct informing her that she was about to get decked, and immediately executed a side elbow to the ribs.

It connected; he hadn't expected her to move so quickly in response to his counter. But Ken held his ground and grabbed onto her, immediately beginning to pull her backwards into a tight roll. Karin's eyes widened as she realized she was good and caught.

Ken rolled once, twice, three times, crushing Karin under his weight before finally finishing in a standard sacrifice throw, his right foot ramming into her gut before he sent her flying.

'Damn it… I forgot that he could take a hit like that!'

The Hell Wheel was one of his own patented throws, and usually it worked to great effect. But Karin managed to recoup in mid air, seconds before her back and shoulders hit the ground with cruel force. She immediately turned and settled into stance. 'No more mistakes like that one.'

Unfortunately, Ken was already pressing the offensive, charging towards her again. She didn't bother with the kick this time, but waited until he was within range before launching not one elbow, but two, a side elbow followed immediately by a rising elbow. Ken parried once, twice, then came at her with a left hook that would certainly take her head off.

'Crap!' She blocked by raising her right elbow against the side of her head, catching the punch just before it made contact. He was close enough now for a counter of her own, and this time she would show no quarter. Her left hand snapped outwards in a palm heel strike, then right with a step forward, both ramming into his chest with enough force to make his ribs compress. Ken gritted his teeth – he ate that one.

But that was the thing about Karin – her moves weren't just single, individual techniques. The next move would prove it. "**Mujin Kyaku**," she said as she rammed into him with a double kick that sent him up into the air.

She didn't even think twice about the next move, she just did it. Launching herself into the air, she executed a pair of downward palm strikes that knocked him to the ground, and it would probably have been all she wrote… had he not saved himself by suddenly rolling backwards upon hitting the ground.

Karin grimaced. 'I can't stop now!'

She landed and prepared to stage another assault, but as soon as her feet hit the ground… "**Hadouken**!"

Karin didn't know the power of a well-trained Surge Fist. It was her first time experiencing such pain. While Ken's was not as strong as Ryu's was or Sakura's could be, it was still a viable move for catching people off guard. And it caught her solidly in the solar plexus, knocking her backwards across the forest floor. Mind you, Ryu's would have knocked the opponent down, but this… this still _hurt_.

'So this… is the real thing,' She thought as she attempted to catch her breath.

The problem was, she didn't have time to think. Ken came at her again, ramming the heel of his foot into her right shoulder with an axe kick as soon as he got within range. 'Sorry about this,' he brooded, 'But I'm going to have to make you earn this.'

His hiking boots certainly weren't anywhere near comfortable to that shoulder. Karin cried out in anguish as she got rammed onto by one of Ken's staple moves… and then got hit again with the heel of that same foot in a front kick. The attack made her slide across the ground several feet, and though her shoulder was only sore, possibly going numb, it made her recoil at the thought of getting hit with it again.

'Damn it… I've gotta get up! Come on, Kanzuki, move your ass!'

Ken was walking towards her at a rather leisurely pace, confident that he had done something fierce to that shoulder of hers. She'd be careful when using it. "So have I proved that I'm the champion yet?"

Karin grimaced and said, "Not quite yet. I'm still moving!"

Ken shook his head and said, "You really shouldn't have such a high opinion of yourself. It makes you seem so _unladylike_!" On the last word, he rushed forward, attempting to knock some teeth loose this time. Karin stood, settled into her stance again, and threw out a jab to try and stop him before he came any closer. Ken ducked underneath it with a surprising amount of agility and attempted to ram his right fist into her floating ribs.

Karin retreated on instinct, letting the fist pass beyond its intended target before she grabbed his head and dealt a knee strike to his face. He had gotten caught again, but to be fair, that last attack of his that winded her before that kick combination did her a fair number worse.

'I can't stand up to him if he does that again. I have to keep him out of long range!'

She executed another knee strike and a third… or not. Ken grabbed the leg that was supporting her and reaped it right out from under her. With a growl, Karin hit the ground hard… and then he was suddenly on top of her, knees straddling her rib cage. This wasn't any combat sport, she realized. This was a street fight.

It was no game.

Ken began doing the expected thing from his position- sending down punches with enough momentum to knock her out. The only thing she could do now was block and try to find a way out of this mess. Of course, the immediate solution to get him off was simple. The only problem was that those punches of his were coming fast and furious.

'He's _really_ trying to knock me _unconscious_.'

At this realization, Karin could feel the rush of adrenaline flowing through her. He was taking this fight seriously, just like he took everything else seriously. She found that she loved it.

Instinctively, as soon as the left fist came crashing down, Karin caught it, pulled him down towards her, and bridged suddenly and violently. Up, over, and the tides had been turned. The problem was that she was still in a bad position. She would have to change that soon, because Ken was about to set her up for some real pain.

He wouldn't get the chance. Karin grimaced as she immediately attempted to pass his guard, quickly pinning his arms to the ground. He knew exactly what she was doing though, and tried to worm his way out.

'Not today, damn it,' she thought as she pinned his right wrist. Her legs lifted, her hips raised, and as they did, his did as well. Quickly, she fed his right hand behind his hips and grabbed the wrist with her own right hand, and before Ken could do anything to stop her, he was lifted upwards.

'Holy shit,' he thought to himself, 'She's gonna do it. I'm impressed now.'

The rest of it happened as expected. She rammed her left hand right into the inside of Ken's right knee, and pop… she was free. Her right knee trapped that same leg down, and there you have it… she had passed his guard. Side control wasn't exactly the best position, but she would take what she could get.

"Gotcha," She said triumphantly as she began ramming a few knee strikes into Ken's left side. Ken grunted every time he was hit, and could feel his ribs caving in. Oh yes, he knew when enough was enough… and it wasn't right now.

Ken suddenly rolled backwards, and Karin yelped as she was reversed entirely. It wasn't about to end this way; not for him. And his knees were a hell of a lot harder than hers were. Karin gritted her teeth as she felt her ribs do far more than compress; she felt them downright beg for mercy.

"I'm gonna break one if this keeps up," Ken said gravely. But he didn't stop, and Karin had to do the one thing that she could at the time - try her best to sit up. But with his weight being greater than hers, it was difficult to do. He was busy with all those knees of his though, so she could get her arms inside of his own. With that said, she quickly got her hands into position, and one of her forearms shoved against him while the other grabbed onto the waistband of his jeans.

'What the…?'

She pushed him off of her before he could throw another knee and lifted her left leg to grab it with her left hand. And it was as simple as that… she sat up. Ken was flipped over, and now he was on his back with her arms wrapped around his upper body. What followed was quite painful: one elbow strike after another to the side of his face. "Give up, already!"

Ken could feel his world spinning. It was only a matter of time before this came to an end… so he decided to do the smart thing and tap Karin's lower back. "You got me, you got me! Stop already!"

She halted and began breathing hard, trying to catch her breath. And oh how it hurt to breathe. Everything, everywhere… was a mess. Her ribs were in pain, her stomach had seen better days, her right shoulder was now officially numb as well as something of her upper arm, and her face sported multiple bruises.

Ken was better off than she was, to be honest.

Her breathing slowed finally and she said, "Do I pass?"

Ken chuckled and said softly, "You pass. You're better than I expected, Karin Kanzuki."

She was silent for a few seconds before she said, "And you are really a champion. I don't think I've hurt so much in my entire life." Even her forearms protested from blocking all those attacks while she was on the ground, and the Hell Wheel she had been hit with didn't make things any better. Karin hissed and said, "Yeah, definitely resting all this off."

Ken laughed and said, "They probably miss us right about now; it's almost time for dinner. Let's head back."

Ken could now head back home next week with no regrets what so ever. Now that Karin had proven herself capable of defending Sakura, he would be free to pursue and train Sean. He didn't know what would happen from there, or why he had been asked to train the boy, but one thing was for sure.

When the two met, sparks would fly, just like they had with him and Karin.

'I don't think that's a bad thing at all,' he thought to himself as they headed back to Suzaku Castle.

* * *

**Round 9: **_**Proving one's Mettle**_

Awrite! Now that's what I call a fight. How about it guys, does this count as a good one? I certainly hope so, because I put a lot into it. Sure it's longer than five thousand words, but what's a few extra for the sake of a good story?

At least, I hope it's good. The title says it all – both Sakura and Karin had to show their stuff in this chapter, and they did it in spades. When I was writing the Ken vs. Karin scene, I didn't know how it would turn out. I wanted to place her in a desperate situation where she would have to really dig deep, and this is (hopefully) the result.

Chapter 10 is going to be very, very interesting, because it's the part where Ken heads back home and Sakura begins really, truly training. There will be yet another fight, and I promise I'll make this one worth reading as well.

_Let's fight like gentlemen._


	10. Kumite! Sakura vs Karin II

_There are points in one's life when they are called to greatness, a sort of defining moment when everything comes together and sits in place as it should. One shining moment when the stars shine their brightest, the planets are in alignment, and everything is as it should be. When it happens, one feels in control of their entire being, as if there were nothing but a clear sky above them and no obstacles before them._

_The day that I met Sakura Kasugano was that day for me. In fact, it was the day that I finally defeated her. Mind you, it was a fluke, a lucky shot; something that was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I could have taken it as a moment of superiority, but… I didn't. Something in her fists changed me. I forgot about winning and losing, forgot about my surroundings. I lost myself in the fight, and once that happened, I understood perfectly._

_In that one brief, shining moment, I realized the difference between us. I wanted to win. She just wanted to fight, with no concern for victory or defeat. Clearly her soul was cleaner than mine, and her drive greater. I admitted defeat, though I had won the battle._

_Could my spirit be this pure one day? Could I perform the martial arts, not for some trophy or recognition, but simply for the betterment of my spirit and mind? Could I compete, knowing that victory was not the most important thing, but the knowledge that my techniques worked and were useful?_

_To find the answer, I followed her. What you see on these pages is the result of what I learned, and what she experienced firsthand._

-Forward from "Surge of the Soul: Journeys with the Master", by Sakura Kasugano and edited by Karin Kanzuki

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Three weeks. It was the rough equivalent of an entire month. That was how long that Sakura had been away from everything she knew and rose to the calling of the warrior. She had learned so much in such a short time; improved further than she had ever done before. It was a far cry from the unrefined, but effective style she had been using before in her semi-professional fights. Now she was learning an actual style that incorporated multiple elements into one package.

And she loved it.

The Smash Kick was quickly becoming her favorite move, and one that she would more than likely use in actual competition or on the street. She loved how the weight of the kick felt, loved how it was able to ram into a target with a visceral force. Not like she _wanted_ to hurt anyone, but if she had to defend herself and there was room to use the kick, she would use it.

The Hadouken was an intimately familiar technique now – she had executed one after another in perfect form and speed, improving to the point where she could smash into a tree with it from ten meters away and knock it down in one clean shot.

But she knew there was more; much more. There had to be. This couldn't be all there was. She wanted to keep on growing and changing, immersing herself into the art that she had attempted to copy for so long. Now that the first step had been taken on that path, there was no turning back from it, not for her.

And something else happened as well – she began to sense ki in everything. Not just her own body, but everywhere – the air around her, the water she took a bath in every day, the ground she walked barefoot on, the castle that she trained in. It was everywhere. This week was the most intriguing, because she had begun the fine art of being able to read the flow of energy within others.

It had already begun that one night, when she could feel Gouki and Ryu clashing, fist to fist, for her fate. And as long as her mind was a void, as long as she was in tune with her surroundings, she could read it. It was a light-headed, almost giddy sensation; one that she would have to get used to in order to use it as it was meant.

At the moment, she was near the waterfall, meditating, feeling the energy out and reading its patterns. She hadn't told Ryu that she could feel this; in fact, she hadn't told anyone about it just yet. But now she knew how Ryu could tell exactly where she was. If he met a person once, he read the unique pattern of their energy, and hence could find them anywhere in the world.

To be sure, there were some that could mask their ki, hide it from those who have the ability to sniff it out. She wanted to learn that as well, but for now she would try feeling its flow. It felt like a gentle current that was everywhere at once, and instead of simply resting inside of her, seemed to flow right through her, in one way and out the other.

And when she thought about it that way…

Yes, that was it. That was how she could do it! Her eyes snapped open at this realization as her calm was broken by the epiphany she had come to. Sakura grinned. This would be fun to experiment with! She didn't think about whether it would work or not; she immediately stood up, ran out from behind the waterfall, and once she was in a place that wasn't so wet, tried it out.

Today she wasn't wearing her plain white gi. Instead she was wearing a pair of slim-fitting black jeans, a light blue shirt with a pair of wings near the top, and a denim jacket that she had brought along with her with a large pink cherry blossom on the back. Of course, she wore a pair of sandals as well, a cute addition to the set, and was without her headband.

After all, she didn't always need it to train.

After calming herself down, Sakura said, "Okay, now how do I get this started? Hmm…"

She got into stance, holding her right hand at her side with her palm turned upwards. "Nnnnn…. So what do I do with the other hand?" She stayed in this position for a while, trying to decide what she was going to do with that free hand. How could something so simple be so hard to figure out?

Then she had an idea. She pointed the index finger of her left hand towards the invisible target, bent slightly at the elbow. "There we go. I can do that until I get the hang of it. Okay, now…"

She breathed, closed her eyes, and emptied her mind. Within seconds, she was free of the restraints of discursive thought and distraction, and tapped into the Surge of Power. It was all there, waiting to be used, and she moved the energy through her vital points, towards that right hand, remembering to use all of it at once.

It came forth, shining brightly. Sakura opened her eyes, her face once again serene and clear of expression. There was no doubt in her mind; this was going to work.

The left foot lifted off of the ground slightly, causing the right to press into the ground and activate the energy chain that was usually called kinetic linking. Before the front foot touched the ground again, Sakura used the entirety of her speed to turn mass into force and shouted, "**Hadouken**!"

The result was both expected, and not. Sakura had expected the attack to move when she fired that right hand forward. She knew it would work, she knew the form, the proper speed, the execution. She had also expected it to short out within less than five feet.

What she saw made her gape.

Not only did it stay the course and retain its original gauge, but it shot outwards fifteen, twenty, twenty five feet, and then dissipated before reaching the distance that she had achieved with two hands. Seven meters out, and it was still an amazing shot.

She collapsed to her knees in disbelief. Had she actually done that without any kind of guidance? Sakura peered down at her right hand, gently touched it to her face. It was still warm. "I did it," she said quietly. She rubbed it against her cheek a few times, and then grinned and pumped that fist into the air.

"**I did it**!"

If anyone who knew her were nearby, they would be in shock. She had executed, on her own, a one-handed Hadouken. There was only one other who did that, and his was pitiful. But this was done with proper execution and form, correct stance and speed.

Sakura stood up, got into stance again, and her mind immediately cleared. The smile however was still on her face. The pointed finger turned into a stylishly extended palm. 'I can work it!'

"**Hadouken**!" she shouted, and executed again in similar fashion. The surge of ki exploded from her right hand again as her left retracted backwards, adding even more acceleration to the move. That simple action gained her a few extra feet, turning seven meters into just under ten. She fired again, and again, and again, not even bothering to shout the name of the technique every time she did it. Soon she switched hands, and found that she was just as good with her left hand as her right. Sakura laughed brightly. That was it; she had brought this to an entirely different level. Some part of her knew it, but the rest did not care – she was having too much fun!

Breathing hard and with a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, she stopped in the extended position, her left hand retracted and her right hand forward, palm hot and still tingling. "This is insane," she said quietly as she stood up again. "I can't tell Ryu about this, he'd blow a gasket. Karin would just go nuts, I suspect. Nah, I'm keeping this one to myself."

But she couldn't help the radiant smile on her face as she headed back to the castle. If she could manage this… what else could she do? She couldn't wait for him to teach her the rest of it! But for now, she absolutely had to keep this a secret from everyone and pretend as if she had never done it.

But that didn't mean that she wouldn't practice it both ways. She figured the better she got with the regular Hadouken, the more proficient she would be with her version if it. This was just the beginning.

* * *

For the first time in three weeks, Karin Kanzuki put on her game face. Today, before the first spar in quite some time with her rival, the blonde took time to clear her mind of all distractions, attempting to focus entirely on the motions of wrapping her hands with elastic, jet-black hand wraps. She and Sakura had been training non-stop for an entire month. Her only reason for training was to match herself against her rival, but Sakura simply loved the style that she was practicing. To her, this was another fight, but to Karin… it was a test of how far she had come.

Underneath the gi she wore (yes, she had been mindful enough to bring one with her), she wore a black sports bra with inserts for breast protectors, and a pair of matching Thai shorts with a pair of white dragons on each leg. The only other thing she wore was a groin protector. That was all.

She was wrong about one thing, though – Sakura was looking towards this spar for more than just a good fight. She wanted to know if the attacks she was learning would be effective. It was a test for her as well, and she counted it as such. If her attacks were not working, she would have to keep training until they did. Sakura wore the same things that Karin did, except they were sea green in color. Her wraps were colored red.

Shin guards? Oh, there were none. No, that wasn't allowed here. The goal was not to go easy on either of them, and Ryu was not about to allow them the luxury of added protection, other than that which they were wearing already. Both were going to try to beat each other to the mat in a moment or two, and they were going to do it without being treated like children.

Karin remembered Ken's words before the spar, and looked behind her towards him. He was going to be judging the spar along with Ryu, to see if things were on the up and up from a different angle. "You're gonna have to go back to basics for this one. There's no palm strikes allowed, so you'll have to make do with your standard, basic sets." Karin grimaced. Those were her openers; her forte. What was she to do without them?

"Improvise," Ken had suggested, but had said nothing else.

She looked towards Sakura again, who had since finished getting ready and walked outside of the mats that had been placed on the floor, sitting down in seiza and closing her eyes. The air around her, even from where Karin was standing, seemed to grow heavy.

'She's meditating. It's what I should be doing, too; I have too many worries about this fight when I should have none at all. Worry is a distraction.'

Karin finished with her preparations and walked to her side of the mat, sitting down just like Sakura had and closing her eyes. She breathed in, relaxed her shoulders, and exhaled through her nose. After ten breaths, she could feel a sort of light-headedness, an energized feeling that seemed to calm her. After five minutes worth of these breaths, her mind was clear.

Sakura on the other hand, was able to remove the distractions from her mind in mere moments, and simply took in the flow of energy that seemed to permeate the room. Without even looking, she knew where Ken was, where Mel was, and where Eliza was as she stood next to her son. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck raise as Ryu entered the room, and her eyes opened.

"All right, it's game time," he said before clapping his hands loudly. That was the signal to stand, and they both did. Ryu stood in the center of the mat and said, "Let's go over this one more time. This is full contact sparring, two rounds for three minutes. I want full strength on all strikes and good defense. Any attack with any part of the hand, forearm, or elbow to the face or neck is a warning. Two warnings and I stop the fight."

They were both silent as Ryu began reviewing the rules for their imminent kumite. "You've both got cups on, sure… but any kick or strike to the groin is an instant disqualify. No exceptions on that. No palm strikes to the chest or anywhere else – that's a push, not a hit. No head butting, no grabbing or clinching or hugging. I don't want either of you to run away from this; if I even think you're backing off for any reason, I'll call you on it."

He didn't have to worry about that one.

"I'll also call you on attacking from the back and kicking while the opponent is down. This is a spar, not a real fight. All the same, you should treat it as if it were, because despite these rules in place, it's gonna hurt."

They both nodded. Ryu nodded as well. "That said, I'm allowing the use of takedowns, as long as you follow up with a controlled, viable punch once the opponent is prone. Other than that, you can use punches, knees and elbows to the body, kicks to the thighs, any sort of strike above the belt and that is not a palm strike or uses the head. You name it, you can use it."

Ryu smiled and added, "Just one thing… you might not be able to strike the head or neck with your hands, but I said absolutely nothing about the feet. Defend yourselves well, or you will get decked in the head with a roundhouse, or something worse. Understand?"

They both nodded for a second time. "Got it," they said in tandem. Karin couldn't hide her grimace. If Sakura caught her dead on with one of those high roundhouse kicks or an axe kick, she would most certainly lose this one in a single move.

Ryu nodded. "If you're knocked down and manage to get back up within less than three seconds, the one who executed the move gets a half-point. Should you be damaged enough that you lose your balance, but don't fall to the mat; it still counts as a half-point. Two half-points equal a win, and the spar ends. However if you're knocked down and can't get up by the count of three, that's _ippon_… instant game over. If you happen to lose your nerve, head towards me or Ken and say that you give up, and we'll stop the fight."

He wouldn't have to worry about that, either.

Ryu looked towards them and said, "Step in and bow to your judges, then each other."

Karin's dark hazel eyes met Sakura's brown as they walked towards each other. Her rival seemed to be staring, but not at her. It was eerie, as if she were looking past her; straight _through_ her. Though the look on her face was not menacing at all, her compelling eyes seemed to draw Karin into them.

For a brief moment, Karin could actually feel Sakura's intent, her fighting spirit. It was a formidable force that unnerved her slightly. But as soon as she looked away and faced towards Ken, the uneasiness faded. She would do this… she would give Sakura one hell of a fight, and show her what she was made of. She would prove to herself that she had improved and advanced.

'Prepare yourself, Kasugano!'

The two of them finally bowed to each other before Ryu said, "Take stances… _engage_!"

Sakura was the first to move forward, although she did it hesitantly this time. At the very least, she wasn't about to do this in a rash manner. Karin did not make a move just yet either; she wanted to test Sakura's movements first. But they both knew that one of them would have to throw something sooner or later, or they would both be risking the match being over before it started.

'Come on, Kasugano, get a move on,' Karin thought to herself as she kept her guard up. Lo and behold, Sakura did indeed move first. She fired off a jab towards Karin's head… and it looked like she was breaking the rules already. Still, Karin didn't want to get hit in the head any time soon, so she reflexively moved to parry.

That was a mistake. Sakura's attack immediately withdrew, and since Karin's eyes were trained on that right fist, they did not see what was coming next. Sakura's left foot snapped out in a front ball kick, ramming straight into Karin's midsection and making her stumble backwards slightly. "Gotcha," she said as she moved forward again, this time with more speed than her initial advance.

Karin soon felt Sakura's fists ramming into her, one inch for each punch to the body. Sakura hit her rival with a flurry, the punches strong and accurate. Karin wanted to clinch at this point, she wanted to grab that lapel and show her who was boss with a few knees. Sadly, she couldn't… but she delivered a knee to Sakura's body anyways.

The wind was knocked out of her, and Karin came back with a vengeance as she bashed into Sakura's right leg with a low roundhouse kick to the outer thigh. Her brown-haired rival grimaced – oh, that hurt. She hadn't even finished her iron body training yet. Karin couldn't help the smirk that appeared on her features as she immediately followed up with a high roundhouse kick, aiming for Sakura's head.

'Easy win,' she thought smugly.

Sakura grinned as she saw the left kick incoming. "Sorry, not yet," she said as she grabbed hold of that foot, picked Karin up, and subsequently dumped her onto the mat, following it up with a punch to the ribs that stopped half an inch from its point of impact.

"Break contact," Ryu called out, and the two of them moved away from each other. Karin was not happy about that one; Sakura had scored and she knew it. She had to use that kick with a bit more caution. "Reset… and _fight_!"

Karin came in first this time, not bothering to move anywhere near slowly this time. She immediately launched into a right roundhouse kick that attempted to smack into Sakura's floating ribs with the shin. Sakura lowered her left elbow, handily blocking the kick before she stepped in and attempted another flurry, starting with a right thrust punch. Karin parried and responded beautifully, landing a series of low kicks to Sakura's right leg again. Sakura gritted her teeth as the pain lanced through her.

'It's getting kinda annoying here!' On the fifth kick, Sakura lifted her knee, checked the incoming attack, and stepped forward to deliver a brutal elbow strike to Karin's left side. In all her enthusiasm, she had forgotten to keep that guard closed, and paid for it hard.

'Shit!' Well that hurt, big time. Karin staggered slightly as her ribs complained, but it wasn't over just yet. Sakura executed a combination of her own, landing first with a shot to the chest that made Karin's rib cage press inwards. Two punches to the body were followed by a knee strike to the gut, hard enough to make her double over.

The blonde gritted her teeth as the pain intensified. The only thing that saved her from being disabled entirely was that she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Sakura's right leg rising up for her axe kick. An image of her breaking all those boards with one of those flashed in her mind, and she moved with a surprising reaction speed.

Sakura soon found herself on the ground via a sweep, and the next punch almost hit her in the face… well, almost. It stopped an inch away from her nose, but she could feel the intent behind it. If this were a real fight, that would be the end of her.

"Break, break!"

The two separated. Sakura found herself hopping slightly on the leg that wasn't screaming in protest. Karin wasn't so sure she was able to keep this up for much longer either – Sakura hit hard and fast, and that knee was no joke. If that axe kick had gone through…

"Not bad," Sakura said as she attempted to slow her breathing. "Those are some good moves!"

Karin grimaced and said, "You're no pushover either, Sakura. It's almost sad that it has to end here. How's that leg doing?"

The brunette smirked and said, "I can still use it to kick with, if that's what you're asking."

Karin smirked in response. "We'll have to do something about that."

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "If you're done chatting, take your stances." They did, and all went quiet for several seconds. "Ready… and _engage_!"

The two of them did not hesitate, they did not slow down or show fear. They were too fired up now to care about a slow advance. The both of them came at each other with the same kick, a roundhouse with the right leg. Both were surprised, so much so that they both forgot to block. Their left sides screamed in agony as they were hit with the force of a baseball bat.

The two of them staggered, reset, and came at each other again, running instead of shuffling. From that point, it turned into chaos. Punches flew everywhere except for the illegal areas as they just plain beat the crap out of each other. Strikes landed in ribs, chests and stomachs, making internal organs perform flip flops. Knees flew towards bodies, attempting to break ribs and end the fight quickly.

But it was the point at which Sakura blocked one and countered with a vertical punch that knocked the breath out of Karin when things started getting nasty.

'Here goes nothing,' she thought as she rammed a left back kick into Karin from close range, sending her stumbling backwards. Out of breath and regaining her balance, she couldn't even see the next move coming in. Sakura raised her right leg, twisted radically, and kicked.

The instep was aimed downwards at Karin's head just as she began to recover, and before she could react to it… her worst nightmare happened.

'Damn it, this is gonna…' SMACK went the Smash Kick, and it sent Karin to the mat in one swift, solid motion. Her world spun in a haze, and she almost wanted to ask for the license plate number of whatever hit her. Somewhere in the back of her mind though, she knew that was coming.

Ryu counted. "That's one… two… three. _Ippon_!"

Sakura raised her right fist with a grin, leaping into the air as she did so. "_Sweet_, it worked! I didn't think I'd get to use it!"

Karin groaned and said softly, "Yay for you." She could barely hear someone coming up towards her, checking to see if there were any injuries. She recognized the voice – it was Ken. "You just got hit by a dump truck of a kick, Karin. Is everything okay up there?"

She smirked mirthlessly and said, "Nothing hurts but my pride." Actually, a lot more hurt than that, but it was her pride that had suffered the sharpest blow. Sakura had beaten her again, and there was no getting around it. Still, as her head cleared, she saw Sakura joining Ken on one knee.

"That was one hell of a fight, Kanzuki," she said with a grin. "Sorry that I rattled you there; I just wanted to see if it would actually work in a real fight. I suppose with all this pain here," she said with a grimace, "This is as real as it gets." She tilted her head to the left and said, "Are you gonna be okay?"

Karin could not help but smile. In the end, Sakura was concerned for her. She had a feeling that Sakura would not be so nice to anyone who wasn't a friend of hers, but this concern touched her more than it irritated her.

"I'll be fine," she said as she began to slowly stand up. "It's nothing that a little rest and some Tiger Balm won't cure. Don't worry about me; I'll be back in perfect condition in no time."

Sakura smiled and said, "Great… because I want to do that _again_. That had to be the most awesome fight we've had so far! I could tell that you've been training hard."

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you really think so? I don't think it means anything if I can't knock you to the ground. Sure, I did it once in that takedown, but I still don't feel like I did enough."

Sakura placed a hand on Karin's right shoulder and said, "Then keep on looking for the answer. Keep training until you feel like it _is_ enough. Once that happens, I want you to fight me again and show me that strength of yours."

Karin was silent for a few brief moments before she said, "I'm starting to wonder why we hadn't become friends a long time ago, Sakura. Things would have been so much better, don't you think?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Got that right." Then, she remembered. "Speaking of that, I have to write to Kei!" She looked towards Ryu and said, "Are we finished with the sparring?"

Ryu smiled and said, "Yeah, we are. Go ahead and recover, both of you. We'll do this again later after you've trained some more."

They both bowed as much as they could and said, "Thank you very much, sensei."

Karin paused for a moment as she realized she had called Ryu her sensei. To be perfectly honest, she didn't mind such a man teaching her some new things. He was amazing in every aspect of the word, and she was humbled that he was taking her along with him and Sakura.

'I won't forget this,' she decided. 'I'll never forget any of it. I'll find a way to remember it forever.'

* * *

The evening was coming on quickly, and Ken stood before Ryu with a grin on his features. "That was one of the craziest things I've ever seen, man. Those two are something else. It almost makes me wonder why you want her to train with Sean, when there's already a perfectly good sparring partner with her."

The brown-haired warrior said, "Because it's the way it should be, Ken. There've always been _two_ Ansatsuken students per class. The point of it is for them to counter and react to each other's moves enough times that they will be ready for any exchange. It was the same thing with you and I."

Ken placed a hand atop his head and ran it through his hair. "Man, you are really, truly old-school." He smiled and said, "But I see your point. Once I get back, I'll track him down and train him in proper fashion." He gave Ryu a hug and said, "I almost don't want to leave, though. I always end up missing you, or at least missing the fights with you."

Ryu returned the hug and said, "You take care of Eliza, and train Mel hard. He's gonna be something one day."

Ken nodded and separated, heading towards his SUV. "Well then, we're outta here. Tell Sakura that Eliza wants to see her in the States sometime soon, okay? We've gotta get some of that cooking from her again!"

Ryu chuckled and said, "I'll do that."

As the Masters headed into the distance, Ryu's expression turned solemn. Part one was finished… now it would start getting ugly. He had to have noticed that power spike from Sakura when she performed the Hadouken, and that was _days_ ago. Gouki was no doubt coming after them, but Ryu couldn't sense him. The man was a master of the original Ansatsuken, Goutetsu-ryuu. He could mask his ki with ease if he wanted to, appearing and disappearing like a ghost.

'If I can't sense him, it puts me… _us_… at a major disadvantage. I have to move quickly.'

Tomorrow would be a busy day, demon or no demon. Ryu would begin her training in earnest, pushing her to her limits. It would turn from just fun and games into one of the hardest things she had ever done. But it was worth it… if she could stand against Gouki on her own, it would all be worth it. For now, he had to keep on his toes, and if need be, on the run.

'For now, I can sleep fairly soundly. It'll take him a while to get here, at the very least.'

With that thought, he headed back towards the castle and settled down for dinner. They would all need the energy it gave them for the next day… because training was about to get deadly serious.

* * *

**Round 10: **_**Kumite! Sakura vs. Karin II**_

Now that was made of much awesome sauce. Don't you guys think so? If not, please tell me. I mean, I'm trying to make these fight scenes as realistic, and yet as utterly flashy, as possible. I figured I would give Sakura a fine derivative of the Hadouken, and I thought that no one had managed to do that whole movement with one hand yet.

Well, except for Dan, and we know his sucks.

So what if someone managed to execute that with proper form and force? What would it be like? This is my answer. Hope you enjoyed it! And the fight between Sakura and Karin mirrors that of a full contact karate match. I figured I would put this in here as a test for something I had in mind later.

Well then, how about it? Tell me what you think; be shameless with your reviews! Pile on the good, the bad, and the ugly (but make the ugly constructive, or I'll bite you)! Give me your best shot, and any questions you might have. I'd love to hear from you all!

_You did a great job, Street Fighter._


	11. Go Hard or Go Home

_In any combat sport, or even in actual self-defense, there are two types of fighters. _

_The first types are those who attempt to strike first. They are the aggressors in the cage or ring; the initiators of a street fight. They attempt to impose their will on the opponent using superior force or speed, and begin the attack with a mindset of violence. They will attempt to win with overwhelming blows at a high rate of fire, or try and take the foe to the ground or to a nearby wall and rain punches or knees. Sometimes they'll even go for vital targets if they want the victory bad enough; if they're so consumed with being the strongest that they'll severely injure or kill any in their way._

_The second types are those who wait for a proper opportunity to attack. They have a calm mindset, devoid of all processes of logic or thought, their subconscious minds and their bodies remembering every attack that they have in their arsenal. They are the ones with superior timing, along with their speed and strength and sheer size; the ones who can take punishment time and time again, over and over, possessing the capability to stand there and take a beating while the opponent wears themselves out. _

_This is, in my opinion, the final goal of any martial artist. They do not think; they react. They block, evade, or just plain strike before the opponent is finished with their own attack. This is not so much a defensive mindset, but a peaceful one, one free of the trappings of negative emotions like fear or anger or ego._

_I would like to think that I'm the second type, but I have yet to find out for sure._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

It had been three days since the sparring session, and things had already gotten interesting. Well, if you wanted to call pain interesting. But hey, it was worth it to learn a martial art, right? Right!?

Sakura was being beat on with a five foot long wooden rod with a diameter roughly that of a twelve gauge shotgun shell. Her stomach, chest, back and shoulders were all being slammed into with as much force as Ryu could muster, and it did not feel anywhere near pretty. But Sakura gritted her teeth and attempted to hold her stance, breathing out in controlled, slow exhales as she was battered. In between rounds of getting knocked around, Sakura took a breath and attempted to silence her thoughts.

Her mind attempted to make all sorts of reasons why she should not be doing this as her nerves sent it one message of pain after another. But as always, reason went entirely out the window when it came to her decision to have Ryu train her in the first place; she couldn't rely on it now. 'Shut up, stupid brain, or I'll ask Ryu to give you a smack too.'

Then she thought about that, and decided that it would not be a good idea for her to get a concussion. So she breathed in, took a controlled exhale, and felt her insides bounce around as she was smacked again and again, four times in total.

"Good, that was excellent. Keep your stance… ready!"

Breathe in. Focus; clear the mind. Breathe out.

She had to keep this pattern going for just a while longer. But how long would it take for her to have that iron body? One year, two at best? And she would have to find a way to do it herself instead of getting beat on all the time. But for the moment, she had someone guiding her, and that was good enough.

'I will become strong.'

It was the message that echoed through her head, or rather the one that she attempted to make echo through her head, as she was pounded on again and again. Karin stood by, watching all this, with a grimace on her face. She almost wanted to yell at Ryu, to stop what he was doing, but she too knew what was going on.

'If she can take this, she will be entirely undaunted by any attack thrown at her. They'll break like waves hitting a cliff side.'

It worried her, to be honest. Sakura was getting even stronger, right before her eyes, and she had no way of duplicating it. Perhaps there was something she could ask Ryu for, but anything but the stick, much less his punches.

Then again, she had been training for as long as her rival. For longer, in fact; since she was a little child. Hard training was a part of her life, and she took it in an almost nonchalant fashion. It was why she didn't just jump in and try to restrain Sakura's teacher. He trained her his way, and no one else could tell him different.

'Just wish he could train me…'

That thought didn't surprise her anymore. If his martial art weren't so secluded and didn't have such a shadowy past, he could be a licensed instructor, passing it off as simply a unique form of Kyokushin. Only advanced students, those who he thought worthy enough, would learn the secrets of using ki to their advantage.

But if the style spread too thin, it would be watered down, the essence removed from the original style. Personally, she hated it when that happened. It just became another method of fighting; one could not call it an art anymore because one could not make it their own.

'At the very least, I want to toughen up like Sakura is right now.' That's what she decided; she would obtain that iron body. She wanted the ability for one to take pain with the fortitude of a steel wall, and keep on coming. But how could she do that without such… _extreme_ methods? She knew what Ryu was doing was meant to fortify Sakura's body as quickly as possible (given the circumstances), but she herself didn't want to be smacked around any time soon.

To Karin's relief, Ryu called time. "Good, you held your stance nicely this time around. Are you all right?"

Breathing heavily, Sakura nodded. "I'll be fine. Don't pull any punches on my account!"

Karin smiled and said, "Pardon my asking, but… do you think that I could get any sort of training in this as well? You know, without being beat on?"

Ryu shrugged and said, "Fine by me. Hang on…" With that, he headed towards a far corner of the room and withdrew two bags. Both made of canvas, they were also filled with beans. "I'm going to assume that you've never done this before. See these bags? They're filled with beans. What you do is simple enough… this long bag here is used for hitting the legs, arms, back, shoulders, anything that needs to be toughened. You have to use the proper amount of force as well; don't just touch your body with the bag, but don't swing hard enough to injure yourself. "

Karin nodded and took that bag, feeling the weight of it in her hands. 'Doesn't seem like much, but it's worth a try.'

Ryu presented the other bag, wider and thicker. "This one's for practicing your strikes on. It's just like hitting a rock or anything else; you have to keep on hitting at it until your hands become resistant to pain. That's all there is to it."

Karin nodded. "So is there any real estimate of how many times I have to do this?"

Ryu smiled and said, "Karin, the only way you'll know how you're doing is by actually trying to hit something, or asking someone to attack you. If it hurts, you're not ready."

Karin grimaced. "I see…"

He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Well there is good news. Depending on how much time each day you're willing to put into it, it doesn't have to take years. In fact, this can happen in as little as six months; a year tops. It all depends on how much you put into it."

Karin nodded and smiled. "So what happens when these beans break?"

Ryu casually answered her. "You find something harder. Try gravel or some river stones for the second stage. Once you can hit yourself with that without being hurt, no matter what happens, you go for the difficult part. Just fill it up with steel ball bearings and hit yourself with that. Just remember, don't use too much force."

Karin couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she did use a bit too much at the wrong time. She imagined a broken bone, or at least a nasty bruise, and couldn't hide her shudder. "I'll keep that in mind. Just hit until I can feel it, not until it hurts."

Ryu nodded and said, "Got it. You're a quick study, so I expect you to advance just as fast as Sakura does."

She smiled and said, "Thank you, sensei."

Ryu smirked and said, "Please don't call me that. I'm no one's sensei; I'm just passing on what I know to those who want to learn."

Karin shrugged and said, "Whatever you say, but I don't think Sakura would want to hear that." She got down on one knee and began hitting the shin with the bag. "She thinks of you as more than just a man, Ryu. You're her idol, her legend that she wants to live up to. I suggest you get used to her calling you master, if not me."

Ryu was silent for a moment. He had never really thought about the effect he had on others that he fought with or that watched him fight. He simply looked for the next challenge, the next worthy opponent. He was looking for the greatest battle of all time, where all of his powers would have to be brought to bear. And then, win or lose, he would be satisfied with himself.

But until now, he hadn't factored anyone else into the equation. How many people had he changed with his fists? What lives were affected by his coming into contact with them? He began thinking back on all the fights he had, and the myriad of personalities he had encountered. To think that he had changed lives simply by going into battle with all those people…

He smiled. No, winning certainly wasn't everything, and this was another form of proof.

"I'll try my best," he said as he walked towards Sakura again. "Train hard, Kanzuki-san."

As she had a good look at his back, she swore that she could see the sunlight that filtered into the room shining off of him as if he had an aura around him. Was it just an optical illusion, or did he really have so much power?

'A man like that… he can do anything he wants, regardless of how much money he has.'

Karin found herself seriously wondering what it would be like to travel with Ryu for the first time since she had come here.

* * *

The tranquil forests surrounding Suzaku Castle were silent, save for the occasional rustle of a bird's wings as they flew from one perch to another. It was in a clearing in these woods that Sakura had her next training session. She and Ryu sat in lotus posture, one in front of the other, and had their eyes closed in meditation. Today, she wore her white karategi, complete with a white belt and her white headband, tied neatly around her forehead. In all aspects, she looked like she could be related to Ryu, but his headband was red.

By now, Sakura could sense even the birds in the trees, and could pick them out one after another, knowing their exact location within a range of fifteen meters around her person. She was beginning to refine her senses, even without the instruction of Ryu behind her. It were as if once she learned the basics of the Hadou no Chikara, she opened herself up to another world altogether.

She could sense him as well, and the same energy coursing through him. No more, no less, just enough. She thought he had more of it; more power, more energy, more of something that she couldn't put her finger on, but now that she really sensed it, it was a surprise.

'He doesn't have any more or less. He just has a greater degree of control over it.'

Of course, she could also sense when he was coming out of his meditative state, and almost wanted to open her eyes at the same time he did his. But she refrained, simply bathing in the river of ki for a while longer. "All right, up we get," he said as he clapped his hands sharply.

Sakura opened her eyes, stretched out, and began standing. "So then, are we gonna punch trees again?"

Ryu chuckled and said, "I think we're past that point. You've proven that your hands can take a beating already. What we're going to do is not hit these, but climb them."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and said, "And what good is that gonna do, besides gradually increase stamina?"

Ryu smiled and responded, "Watch this."

And he lowered his legs briefly, breathing in as he did so. Sakura could suddenly sense his energy flowing towards the legs, and immediately realized what he was about to do. Before she could say anything though, he leapt upwards for a good fifteen feet, the leaves on the ground being pushed back by a small pressure wave.

Ryu grabbed onto the thick branch that was just above him, swung over, and sat on it. He looked down from where he sat and said, "See? We're gonna climb trees."

Sakura grinned and said softly, "Awesome. He's just too _awesome_."

Moments later, Ryu disengaged from the branch, turned a flip in the air, and landed right back on the ground again, entirely unharmed. He dusted off his pants and said, "I trust I don't have to tell you how you're going to be using your ki today. But this isn't going to be as easy as a Hadouken."

Sakura nodded and said, "I know that for sure. It's gonna take a lot more than just firing off a shockwave, right?"

Ryu nodded. "Ki can dramatically increase the power of anything you do – running, jumping, taking a hit, throwing a punch, anything at all. But in order to use it in such a fashion, it's going to take a lot more focus. The Hadouken was a simple application… this time we're going to do something a bit harder."

Sakura could already guess. "You're gonna teach me the Shoryuken, aren't you?"

Ryu grinned. "Bingo. And this is the first step."

Sakura nodded and set her face in a determined expression. "I'm ready! _Let's do this_!"

He raised an eyebrow at her passion to learn the next move, but thought nothing of it. It was better this way; the more drive she had, the faster she would learn, and that was what counted in the end. Ryu began by lowering his legs. "Okay, see this here? When you're like this, you focus your energy towards your legs. The trick is to use all of your energy in all those pressure points in order to execute the jump."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and said, "Last I checked, there were a _whole lot_ of those."

Ryu nodded as he stood up. "That's why this one is going to be harder than you think. You still up for it?"

Sakura smiled. "Well, I can't back down now. Besides, I've been doing it wrong for a while now. I want to do it right."

He smiled and said, "That's what I like to hear. Okay, first things first… I just want you to focus on bringing the energy towards your legs. Don't do anything near jumping yet, just focus on bringing that energy to bear and moving it."

Sakura nodded and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly. She could feel the ki flowing through her various pathways, small rivers leading into a larger ocean. She would have to direct that flow towards another area, and there would have to be a whole lot of it down there for this to work.

Not once had a thought entered her mind as she began using her considerable willpower to increase the flow of energy without batting an eyelash. Her face was entirely calm, and yet sweat began to break on her forehead. It was nowhere as easy as the first time, because she had to bring that flow to bear in a higher concentration than just a single shot.

But slowly, ever so slowly, she did it. The ki moved towards her legs, and she could feel them growing stronger as she did so. Ryu nodded. "Good… keep going until all the points are hit. Keep breathing."

She continued her breathing, keeping her mind devoid of thought. Steeped in the void, she had control of the flow within her, and gradually, she felt every point in her legs, from the hips to the thighs, and down through the soles of the feet, activate.

The whole thing took about five minutes.

Sakura sighed and said, "I did it. Damn, that was harder than I figured it'd be."

Ryu chuckled and said, "See what I mean? Now let it go."

She released the flow, and felt it empty out into the ground. Her legs felt… well, not tired, but empty, as if they missed the streams of ki flowing through them. "All right, so what now?" she asked as she began hopping a few times to try and remove the uneasiness in her legs.

Her teacher said, "Now we make it faster. Remember, when you get into that low position, you want to bring all that energy to focus at that very moment. It's the only way this is going to work. This isn't like the Hadouken when you can channel it any time you want; this is a single, instantaneous leap into the air. You're going to have to move that ki fast."

Sakura nodded and said, "Well let's get a move on."

For the next few hours, Sakura and Ryu practiced the movement of ki towards the legs, not even bothering to jump into the air yet. And as they did so, he taught her what else she could do with it.

Once Sakura had all that energy in her legs, she found that she could run faster. Oh, much faster. She already knew the proper form for a good running stride, but this was beyond belief… usually, her top speed was a good clip of twenty-two miles an hour. It wasn't all that bad, but it could be better.

Imagine that speed doubled.

Sakura grinned wildly as she hit a far greater clip of forty-five miles an hour. The trees whizzed by as she attempted to keep up with Ryu, and she was still able to weave between them as if she were moving at a slower pace. Indeed, she managed to catch up with him as they raced each other back to the waterfall, and even ran beside him for a few brief moments in time before she saw a tree up ahead.

Sakura smirked as she barreled towards it. For a moment, Ryu was worried she was going to ram straight into it… that was, until she began running upwards, her feet moving with such speed that she was able to maintain traction on the trunk. Up she went, just before she found a big enough branch to place herself onto. One that was several meters upwards.

She stopped on the branch and peered around the forest from her newfound perch, that same grin on her face. "_This is unreal_," she shouted down to Ryu. "I can't _wait_ to learn the rest of it!"

He looked upwards and laughed. "Well you won't learn anything sitting around! Come on; let's head back to the lake. I want to show you something."

She nodded and immediately leapt downwards from the branch, turning a neat, single flip through the air. Before she hit the ground, Sakura focused her energies, brought them into her legs, and landed… without a scratch or a wince of pain. And then, the running began again. Within a few minutes instead of a few hours, they were at their destination, slowly coming to a halt as they reached the shore.

"Okay, stay right there," Ryu said as they stopped moving. "Sit down if you want and take a rest."

Sakura nodded and sat on a nearby rock, looking towards the majestic waterfall as it brought thousands of pounds worth of water down into the lake. Anything underneath that had to be able to take some serious punishment, or risk being crushed like a soda can from the sheer force.

But she thought nothing of it, because she didn't think she'd be standing underneath them any time soon.

What she did not expect was to see Ryu moving towards those falls, aiming to stand right underneath them. She didn't think for a second that he would be defeated by some measly water though, so she paid that no mind either. Soon however, she would have a reason to pay close attention.

As expected, Ryu stood underneath the waterfall, all those pounds of force bearing down on his shoulders and head. And yet he remained unfazed, his brown eyes closed and his body at ease. Sakura smiled as she saw him standing there as if he were just taking a shower.

Then, his eyes snapped open and he crouched low in that familiar stance. Sakura's eyes widened. "Wait, is he… There's no way."

He was. "**Shoryuken**!" he shouted as he launched himself upwards, his right fist ramming into the water that came crashing down towards it. But something amazing happened that Sakura had never seen before. The waterfall, in all its majestic, powerful glory, could not stand up to the might of the attack. It had no choice but to move out of his way, and the result was that Ryu's Shoryuken quite literally split the waterfall in two.

Sakura was speechless. Her mind was a different story.

'He's strong. Stronger than anyone I've ever known or fought. If he can do all this, why can't I?'

Indeed, why couldn't she? It was possible for him, so why not her? Her mind reeled with the possibilities, and the grin spread on her features again.

Visions ran through her head of her winning a fight with just a single Shoryuken or a dazzling Hadouken. She had long since known by now that the moves, in Gouken's toned-town form of the style they were using, could not kill. But this proved that they were potent enough to cause some serious pain with just one strike.

'I can do this. If he can… then I can too.'

Ryu landed as the water fell around him like drops of rain, and waded back towards the other side, his face still entirely calm. "That," he said when he arrived, "Is what happens when you train hard."

Sakura nodded and said, "Then let's do just that, the harder the better. I wanna go as far with this as I can, sensei."

Ryu smiled. Sensei began to have a nice ring to it, at least when she said it. He didn't think that anyone else could call him that without it feeling awkward. But with such a student as this one, he figured it would be all right to be called a master. "All right then, let's go get toweled off and get right back into it. If you want me to push you past your limits, you just got your wish."

* * *

Before the end of that day, she had never felt sorer in her life. But Sakura found herself wanting to be hurt, hit on, and absolutely ravaged. She didn't tell Karin what she had seen or done earlier that day; Sakura did not want any further animosity between the two of them besides their rivalry. They were good friends already, and that was enough.

She had a pleasant surprise before she had to make dinner, and it came in the form of a new mail in her inbox.

"Sweet, it's Kei!"

_Sakura,_

_I am SO sorry I haven't been able to write you! Things have been absolutely crazy these past few weeks, but I finally have some free time. First of all, I want to say how proud I am of you, regardless of what else happens. You're living your dream, and however you wanna go about it, we're behind you one hundred percent over here._

_I've been reading your mails, don't worry about that. To be honest, they're all pretty interesting. The pictures are a huge bonus; Mel looks so cute! I just want to hug him forever, y'know? And that picture of Ryu was amazing. You can't just get someone to pose like that, and I don't think he's the kind of guy that would anyway. You're really good with a camera; maybe you could do something with that talent of yours._

_Akio is fine; he and I have started seeing each other a lot more lately. He keeps on encouraging me to write back, but… well with all the studying, I don't have much time to make any responses. That's a total bummer, right? But it's toned down now, so I have a few days of rest._

_Seiji and Daisuke took me to another cage fight recently. I've been paying much more attention to them these days, thanks to you and Karin. I have to admit, it is pretty exciting once you know how things work! _

_Thanks to my incredible powers of research, I memorized the rules in and out, learned what techniques were most used, learned how one actually delivered that knockout punch, and I started to realize that everyone around me in that building knew the same things I did._

_When I saw that subtle positioning that led to the arm bar or that triangle choke, I cheered as loud as anyone else. They all knew that the person was going for it by certain cues, and I understood why they were so excited. If one could make the other surrender instead of knocking them to the ground, it displayed a higher level of skill than just a takedown and a beat down. Though I have to admit, watching those are fun too._

_Send me more pictures! I doubt that Karin is really that camera-shy, and I want to see how she's progressing. I certainly hope you're doing as well as I think you are, because the guys at the arena are beginning to miss you quite a bit._

_Here's hoping to see you shine again,_

_Kei Chitose_

* * *

**Round 11: **_**Go Hard or Go Home**_

Yeah, baby. Here comes another one, fresh from the oven of my mind. It's hot, it's yummy, and it's ready for your tummy. Or your eyes; I don't want anyone devouring their computers. But seriously, thanks for turning in. I really appreciate it. Now then, I'm going to sleep. And then tomorrow, I will be (hopefully) putting up the first chapter of Chronicles of Vana'diel in… hell, ages.

Stay tuned for more combat on the horizon. It'll be well worth watching!

_Ain't there somebody who can stop this fighting machine?_


	12. Nakama

_So we've got Kei and Akio, together._

_Somehow, that doesn't sound right, but I suppose I should be happy for them. If he's the one for her, then that's all for the good. Then again, I'm not one to talk. I mean, I don't know what kind of guy would interest me, to be honest. After all, I'm not any normal kind of girl. Just because a guy can give me a good fight doesn't mean I particularly like him. I suppose that I have different priorities than most people do. Does that make me unique, or just weird?_

_I dunno. I wish someone could provide a map to relationships; then I could follow it and just go along with that. But at least Kei hasn't forgotten about me. After all, I'd never forget about her._

_Anyways, I have to do something to sharpen my skills- it's not going to be any easier from this point forward. Maybe I could ask Karin for another spar sometime; for now, she's the only one that I can try and measure up to. I certainly can't ask Ryu for one, not yet. I don't feel like I'm good enough yet. In fact, I don't think I'll ever be good enough to ask him for another round. Sure, if he asked me, I'd be more than happy to accept, but… I'm not that impulsive little girl that I was before. I can't just jump up and ask him for a spar, knowing that I have such a long way to go._

_I have to keep pushing, bring it to the limit. Only then will I feel confident enough to fight him again._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

A roughshod street thug fell to the ground, unconscious, with a dull thump. His eyes were rolled to the back of his head, the whites showing in a ghostly manner. The other four withdrew knives, clubs, sticks and chains, now knowing perfectly well that normal attacks would not penetrate this man's flesh. One of them called out, "I don't know who you are freak, but you picked the _wrong_ group of guys to mess with. We're gonna tear you a new one, you hear me?"

His topknot ruffled slightly in the breeze and his black gi bore the mark of providence on the back for a brief moment before he began walking forward, entirely silent. His skin was cast a shade of red from the blood rushing through his veins, and his eyes were a similar color; no pupil, no iris, just a complete and total, dully glowing crimson.

He was not human. They had made the mistake of assuming that he was like them.

He would correct that mistake.

The thugs had cornered a young woman, attempting to take more than just her purse. She was strikingly beautiful, and yet at the same time, ordinary. It appeared that she was just making her way home, like always. It was bad luck that she happened to run into these men at this hour of the evening. But then, just as soon as they closed in on her, he came.

Saying nothing, simply standing there and staring, he observed closely, calmly, with the emotional detachment of a brick wall. The supposed leader decided that there should be no witnesses to what they would do, so he sent one of his mooks to handle the newcomer.

The mook was destroyed in three moves.

And here we arrive at the present time, the woman fleeing from his cold stare and the four men prepared to attempt to end his life. They had weapons, they were prepared to use them, and they were not about to let this go unanswered.

"Kill that bastard," the leader said confidently.

They moved. He smiled.

The guy with the chain was first, and as the metal was sent flying towards its target, the red-haired man raised his left forearm. As expected, the chain caught and wrapped around it, and the thug pulled. And pulled again… and pulled a third time, with more force. The man did not budge until the fourth pull, when he yanked in response. All it took for him was one, because the thug was sent flying towards him.

Seconds later, a side heel kick was rammed into the tough's face, breaking multiple bones and making the brain rattle in the cage known as the skull. Instant knock out. With that, the chain was dropped to the floor and the man retrieved his foot, now bloody and covered with chips of bone.

"Shit… _rush him_!"

That was the signal for everyone to come at once, but he did not move. A baseball bat was swung towards his head, while a knife was thrust towards his abdomen. Not until the last second did he finally act, and when he did… it were as if the three of them moved in slow motion.

The man was there in one moment, and the next he was over their heads and behind them. Within a split second, a blast wave of ki shot towards the brute in the center, the one with the knife, and slammed into his lower back. But this did more than just knock him down… the blast went _through_ him, penetrating skin and flesh as if it were not even there.

"Boss, _no_!"

The man landed with enough force to splinter the pavement beneath him, and his eyes glowed fiercely. He finally spoke, and his voice was like gravel. "Such toys… are ineffective against a true weapon. This is your last chance to follow your instincts and run."

The other two set themselves briefly and the one on the left said, "Go to hell!"

They rushed, and the man grinned. He was suddenly in front of them, and before either of them could swing their weapons, it was over. He began whirling in mid-air, his right foot extended, and spun with enough force to turn him into a living saw blade. The two thugs were sliced in half through their chests, the upper arms cut clean through.

Blood sprayed into the air as they fell to their knees, lifeless and limp. And as it rained, the man landed on his feet in a far gentler manner than his first decent.

"Hell?" He chuckled. "I go there constantly. I find it boring."

And once again, he vanished, leaving only a bloody mess in his wake. Gouki had struck again, killing those who attempted to kill him. Certainly he had saved a woman's life, but that was coincidence. He had sensed malevolent energies, traced them, and found them. Wherever there was a violent aura, there was an opportunity for combat.

And that was all he needed.

'Where… where is one who can stand against me?'

* * *

Ryu's eyes snapped open in the dead of the night. His heart raced, his nerves seemed to fire off at all once, and a sudden horror swept over him, as if he were dipped in cold, murky water. Something had happened; something terrible.

He had felt this before, of course, but he never expected to experience it again, at least not so soon. Someone had died, and it was in a quite brutal fashion, without mercy or remorse. He couldn't tell how, but four men had been killed this night, one of them knocked unconscious. It was nowhere nearby; not in the same country, that is. But it was just across the way… he calmed himself and sat up slowly, trying not to wake the others. Closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths, he began searching for the exact location of the incident. It only took him seconds to locate it; a back alley in the streets of Hong Kong. Blood painted the walls, the floor, the dumpsters, everything. A residual heat radiated everywhere, but especially from the body of one man that had a hole punched clean through his stomach. Two others had been dissected through their upper torsos as if some kind of heated blade had made a clean cut straight through.

The one man that was knocked out would never be the same again, his entire face destroyed.

And there was the aura of violence, of sheer destruction, everywhere.

But the one who had done this was nowhere to be found. It didn't matter; Ryu knew who it was.

'Gouki… must it always come to this? Do you have to kill everyone who makes an attempt on your life, and so carelessly?'

Ryu was unnerved by the fact that he could not track the man-turned-demon; he had masked his ki perfectly when he had moved, and now was nowhere to be found. He didn't even leave footprints behind as he moved. The man was simply able to move that quickly. Ryu looked straight towards the source of the attack, a forlorn look on his face.

'Don't you see? This isn't the path to take. We're not in the feudal era anymore; this isn't a battlefield.'

It was not so strange that he thought this way. The man was much like a Shaolin monk; Ryu would rather break an arm or a leg in self-defense than kill. Better to incapacitate than to execute, in his opinion. He could knock an opponent out in one single hit, thus removing the need to kill anyone. But Akuma… victory in one move was not enough for him. Those who challenged his superiority heedlessly had to pay the ultimate price.

'I just feel sorry for whoever tried to attack you with that knife, or those sticks. They had no idea what they were up against. Still… did you really have to kill them?' Ryu sighed and attempted to lie down; go back to sleep. It was a sad event, but the only thing he was concerned about was that Gouki was not where they were; not yet. It was an almost cold logic, but it made him feel at ease.

'I don't know what you four have done in the past, but God save you now.'

* * *

Sakura woke up early the next morning; earlier than even Ryu had. The reasons why were unclear, even to her, but she had gotten to the point where she just couldn't sleep anymore. And if she couldn't sleep, there was only one thing to do, and that was run.

'Lucky for me I brought these along,' she thought as she pulled out the pair of running shoes from her bag, along with her grappling shorts and her sports bra. For some odd reason, she liked the color sea green. Something about it seemed to match her; at least, she thought so. Some colors just look right to some people; touch a part of their spirit that not even they themselves know about.

Five minutes later, she was out in the forest, running at a steady pace; it wasn't her top speed and she didn't use any ki. She simply adopted her normal stride, her breathing in time with her footfalls. Sakura had a unique skill that few possessed without the proper conditioning, and that was the ability to completely relax.

She had no ambition besides her dream, no need for money; devoid of avarice or hate. Sakura was not a complete and total realist, but she wasn't a complete and total machine, either. She was simply who she was, and that was all for her.

Due to this state of mind, the body seemed to respond and follow such a philosophy, and thus she was able to relax her muscles to the point where movement became effortless and fluid, able to adapt and change at any moment, like water. And as she ran, her mind cleared of all its rational processes; any obstacles of pain or fatigue faded as she settled into her stride. She could run for days, weeks, even months. And since she had been running for a good while now, she could achieve her top speed without having to tense up at all… at least, her normal top speed.

But right now, she was running at about ten miles an hour, and simply going with the flow.

As the sun peeked over the horizon and Sakura reached the lake, she heard the sound of gentle tapping just as clearly as she heard the rush of the falling water. Stopping for a moment, she saw Karin, wearing a gray halter top and a loose pair of dark blue sweatpants, sitting on a nearby rock and smacking on her shins and legs with that bag that Ryu had given her. Sakura knew what was going on, and thus didn't want to bother her.

She was about to keep going when Karin called out to her. "Trying to be sneaky, Kasugano?"

Sakura grinned and scratched the back of her head. "I don't think I could be sneaky, even if I wanted to."

Karin looked up at her without pausing and said, "Well since you're here, come on over. I like this spot here."

Sakura made her way over towards Karin and sat down on the rocky shore, just to the blonde's right side. She didn't even feel tired from running here, even though it was five miles away from the castle itself. She looked towards Karin and said, "Hey, do you have any family you're leaving behind while you're here?"

Karin did not stop using the bag, responding without much pause. "Yes; my father. Though he works quite a lot, so I never did see him all that much, even when I was a child." She smiled to herself and said, "Most of the time, my mother took care of me, as well as Ishizaki. When mother passed away, he took up her duties in raising me, along with being the head servant."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and said, "Your butler took care of you since you were a kid, huh? That's why he's always everywhere you go. So why isn't he here?"

Karin was silent for a moment, thinking back to why she had left him behind. It did look odd, her being seen without him. She smiled and said, "Because I'm all grown up now. If I'm going to get anywhere, I'm going to have to do it myself from now on. Of course, I've got a driver's license and all that, so I can go places on my own… and besides, he's on vacation now."

Sakura blinked and said, "A vacation? You mean you actually let him _take_ one?"

Karin wanted to be angry at that comment, really. She would have liked nothing better than to retort sharply. But instead she said calmly, "I expected such a thing to surprise you. To be honest, I would not have done that when I was young; I relied on him far too much to just let him go. Maybe that was why I took him for granted."

Sakura was silent. She had a distinct feeling that Karin was… sad. She had an aura around her of melancholy; her brown-haired friend could almost feel it.

"Back then," she said softly, "I had no time for friends. My father had no time for me; he was busy running the company most of the time. I had private tutors most of the time when I was small, especially in the martial arts. For some reason, I didn't much care about that though… I wanted to make my father proud."

She continued hitting her legs with the bag, not even focusing on what she was doing anymore. She barely registered the pressure that she exerted on her legs. She had lost count of the times she had hit them. "By the time I was about… I dunno, thirteen years old, I became a master of five martial arts styles including Hapkido, knew how to read and write and do complex arithmetic on a college level, and could have easily done anything I wanted to, without pause."

Karin smiled and said, "I decided that the first thing I would do was take a look at the outside world, see what I had been missing all this time. I wanted to 'know the mind of the commoner', so to speak." She scoffed and said, "It sounds so pretentious now."

The bag was all but forgotten as she retraced her steps, and yet her body continued moving, applying the same pressure over and over again. Thousands of repetitions had to be made each day instead of hundreds in order to progress quickly. And yet she paid it no mind as she continued spilling her guts, her subconscious wondering why she would do such a thing on such short notice.

Karin sighed and said, "Everyone was so silly, they were all running around leading their own little dramas. The few friends I did make in High School were part of my own little caste, even though they weren't born with the same status. They thought like I did, and for the first time I had found kindred spirits." She smiled and said, "We walked around like we owned the place."

Sakura scratched the back of her head, remembering Karin's group of intimidating sharks. Not like she was intimidated, of course. And yet she said nothing, simply listened.

Karin stared out across the lake, her eyes unseeing of the present time before her. "And then I heard about you, Sakura. A girl from our school who had become an underground legend – undefeated in any fight she participated in, thanks to her unorthodox style. I had a proper challenge to face. School was too easy, manipulating the social order was too boring; you were my entertainment, and nothing more."

She smirked and said, "Maybe I should have taken you a bit more seriously back then when I invited you onto my yacht. You kicked my ass."

Sakura grinned. "Awww it was just luck, you were good!"

Karin stopped what she was doing and peered towards Sakura. "Not to me. I had lost for the first time in several years; that fight was not luck. I got careless." She continued beating on her legs with the bag as she shook her head. "Since that day, I wanted to defeat you, to win no matter what. I was the best, and you were the obstacle that presented itself to me. And for a second time, I couldn't climb over it."

She sighed and looked up towards the sky. "Imagine then, on the day I finally beat you, my surprise when I didn't care about winning or losing at all. Any ego or hate for you simply… disappeared." She could recall, even now, every move that she had made and been hit with in kind. "I lost myself that day to the fight, and for the first time I saw you clearly. I saw everything clearly, in fact."

Sakura tilted her head to the right, somewhat confused. "Well what do you mean by that?"

Karin shrugged and said, "I suppose… you could call it fate. Your fists changed the way I thought about life. If one could be this clear-headed in a fight, if one could find the divine in battle, could they find it in something else too? Was victory really everything I needed?"

She smiled sadly and said, "That's a silly motto, honestly. Be the winner of everything. Life isn't like that; one has to fall from grace sometime. I learned that it's picking oneself back up, rebuilding when things topple from under one's feet that is real victory. That's the key of the martial arts; you have to enjoy losing as well as winning. I think it's the same for life, too."

For a while, neither of them spoke. But maybe that was because Sakura was no longer sitting down. She raised an eyebrow and looked to her right, and noticed that the girl was gone. She frowned slightly and said, "Well all that for nothing, hmm? I have to say, you can be quite-"

She was hugged from behind. Everything stopped – the bag, her speech, even her heart. How had she moved so silently?

"I didn't know," Sakura said softly. "I had no idea you had it so rough."

Karin's eyes went wide. She was being shown sympathy for her misdeeds? She couldn't even forgive herself, but someone like Sakura, who had been the target of her ire, could? Just what the hell _was_ she, anyway?

"It's okay, you know." Sakura smiled and said, "You've got friends now; real ones. No one here is worried about your status, or how silly you look in your pictures, or anything like that. We're _nakama_, Karin. And that means you and me, and Kei and Akio; those two dorks, Seiji and Daisuke, and even Ken and Ryu. We're all nakama, and we look out for each other."

Karin was still speechless, and she didn't even notice the tear running down her right cheek. She was considered a nakama? It sounded strange to her, and yet… altogether heavenly. Karin smiled and said, "You're silly."

Sakura grinned and said, "Aren't I, though?"

They both laughed as Sakura released her hold on Karin. "So since we're Nakama and all that, why don't I help you with everything else? I mean, you've done the legs like, a thousand times now, right?"

Karin raised an eyebrow after she was done wiping her tear away. "You counted?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head and said, "Yeah, I kinda did. Is that a bad thing?"

The blonde chuckled and said, "Not at all. You can help with everything else; just remember not to swing too hard. Hit with just enough force to exert pressure."

For the rest of that morning, they sat near the waterfall, talking about absolutely nothing and hitting each other with that bean bag. Karin had never felt so… well, peaceful. To be honest, she felt uncomfortable with being so at ease, but she figured it was another part of life.

'Thank you, Sakura. You teach me something new every day.'

* * *

"It's still not fast enough," Ryu said as he watched Sakura try and leap as high as he did. She could only jump so high without ki, and using it this way was difficult for her. But to her credit, she had been able to jump a few inches higher than her maximum, which was three feet upwards. That was already considerable.

She set her face in a determined expression and tried again, attempting to quickly grab hold of the flow and put it to her legs as she bent low. Sadly, she could only get about a third of the points lit up before she jumped… and could only get so high. She growled in frustration as she landed and said, "What's it gonna take to do this right?"

Ryu shrugged and said, "Practice, and lots of it." He placed a hand on her right shoulder and said, "This wasn't easy for me, either. But you know you have a chance of doing all this faster than I did. After all, it took you a short time to learn the Hadouken on your own, and less than a month to perfect it. Naturally, it should take you even less time to learn the Shoryuken with help."

Sakura grinned excitedly and said, "Well how long, then?"

Ryu smirked and said, "It'll happen when it happens. Don't focus on when or how; just do it until something changes." He leaned up against a nearby tree and said, "I suggest that you slow down, take it a step at a time. See how the chain works, and once you know how, you can do it without thinking."

Sakura nodded and took a calming breath. He was right- everything worked a certain way. There was always a right way to do things, and sometimes there was more than one right way. All she had to do was find that switch, and she was good to go. Slowly, she lowered herself, without using any ki at all, and tried to find something that would work for her.

Ryu watched, saying nothing as he observed her.

Sakura's eyes were closed as she lowered her stance, and she felt her legs coil up like springs. Nothing new there – that was a standard sensation that she felt every time she kicked off the ground. She slowly raised herself, and lowered again. For a moment, it looked like she was doing squats in slow motion without looking where she was going.

'That's nothing special. Now I just have to time the energy flow right.'

She lowered herself a third time, and this time slowly began introducing ki into her legs as she did so. Of course, she found it much easier to do while it was slowed down, and could feel the springs tightening, winding, and coiling even further. Oh, this was good. It felt right. Her problem was that she ran forward before launching herself into the air, and while that wasn't all that bad of a tactic, she didn't exactly think it was the right way.

But this… this felt _right_.

She knew of course, that she'd have to practice this time and time again until she was used to it, until it moved so smoothly that she didn't have to think twice about it, or even think at all. But how long would that take, exactly? She wasn't sure. There had to be some other way, a faster method.

Ryu praised her as she began timing the dip with the flow of energy. "Good, that's the way. Try to gradually make it faster."

Sakura nodded without looking behind her. She bent over again, focused her will… and because she wasn't looking where she was going, accidentally twisted to her right slightly, the core muscles winding as well.

"Whoa!"

Her eyes shot open as the energy suddenly moved faster by a few seconds. Ryu smiled and nodded. "You found it. Of course, it's different from mine, but whatever gets you to make the ki move faster, it's good. Just make sure you keep your back straight during the whole thing, or else it won't flow all the way."

Sakura looked behind her and nodded. She straightened up and tried again, this time on purpose. The expected result happened- the energy moved seamlessly in a wave, and once it hit the muscles of her stomach, sides, and lower back… it dramatically accelerated.

She grinned. "All right, I got it!"

Ryu nodded and said, "Let's see you move faster, then." He had to admit, it was a different way from the way he did it, which was simply to use all of one's will to force that energy into the legs and launch upwards, but she was able to do such a thing much faster if she did what she was doing. He still preferred his way, but Sakura could do whatever she wanted with it.

Sakura moved faster, dropping low at a greater speed, and twisting the waist just slightly. Just like that, the springs coiled, the energy was all there, and her legs felt as if they were pistons ready to drive upwards, instead of springs. She grinned. "Awesome, I think I can manage it now!"

Ryu smiled. "Well then, let's see how high you can go. Remember, it's a single, explosive jump, as if you're forcing all of that ki out through the soles of your feet. In fact, it'd be better if you thought of it that way."

Sakura nodded and stood back up. She breathed deeply, clearing her mind. Being too excited only messed things up. As soon as she was ready, Sakura bent, twisted, and channeled all at once, at full speed. She felt her legs fill with energy, and as soon as she felt it…

"**Haaaah**!"

Sakura launched upwards like a rocket, and three feet of air suddenly turned into six. She looked down at the ground and gasped in exhilaration. She did it. It had worked faster than she had expected, and her little impromptu experiment had results. As soon as she hit her apex though, the energy left her.

'Oh, crap…'

She needed that energy to land safely! What was she going to do? Well, the only thing she could – make some. She forced herself to twist in mid decent, the rotational force aiding in her landing. When she hit the ground, she impacted with the balls of her feet and bent her knees, cushioning the blow.

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "A bit late on the recovery. But you got the gist of it almost immediately."

Sakura stood up and turned around, grinning wildly. "Did you _see_ that? I went so high; it felt like I was _flying_! I've never been that high up before in my life… well, except on a jet. But I did that on my own, and it was so cool!"

Her teacher laughed and said, "That's why it's called the Shoryuken, the rising dragon fist. You quite literally fly into the air, fist first. But there's something you have to remember. At the very top of that jump, you lost just about all of your energy. That's the side effect of the Shoryuken – powerful coming up, vulnerable coming down. Just like the Hadouken, where you have to take a moment to reset your stance after you send the shockwave out."

Sakura nodded. She had noticed as well – there were limitations. These moves had to be done with split-second timing in order to work.

Ryu placed a hand on Sakura's head and said, "Now then, let's see if you can't focus even more ki into your legs before jumping. Remember, the more you channel, the higher you'll jump. Just remember, it's gonna take a lot more effort to move more energy."

She nodded, and continued training in this first part of the Shoryuken. By the time they were finished, six feet had turned into eight, an impressive gain. She could feel herself becoming stronger by the second, not even the day, and pride swelled up within her.

'I'm actually gonna do it! Sooner or later, I'm gonna know how to do the Shoryuken!'

* * *

Kei had been so kind to send Sakura a response to her mails, so she decided to send one of her own. And once again, she took pictures. This time she took one of Karin, and made it so that she didn't mind at all. Her remarkable photography skills had caught the blonde at the exact moment that her right straight impacted on the heavy bag during a training session, the determined grimace on her face and the fist impacting three inches into the bag captured beautifully.

Karin never knew that Sakura was there.

_Dear Kei,_

_Thank you so much for writing back! I thought I'd never hear from you. Congratulations on you and Akio going out; I feel happy for you, really. I don't really know him all that much, but I can tell he's a good guy. Anyways, you wanted a picture of Karin, right? So here it is. I think I captured the essence of the moment, don't you?_

_Speaking of Karin, she told me about herself. I never knew she had such a rough time when she was younger. Of course, I'm not about to tell you about everything; I'd rather it be kept between her and me. Still, I told her today that we were nakama, all of us. You might think it silly, but that's what I really think. We look out for each other, like an extended family._

_I didn't know so many people at the arena missed me. I wish I could tell them that I was coming back soon, but I don't know when I'll be back, to be honest. I'll try and head back sometime, see if I can't get into a fight or two when my skills have improved. I wonder if I'm still the current champion, or if they've passed the title onto someone else? Well I'll correct that, sure enough. That is, if it's happened._

_I know; I'll get Karin to tell everyone that I'm on a training trip. That way, they won't worry about me so much._

_You haven't sent me any pictures yet; that's not really fair, is it? Buy a camera and get to clicking! I wanna see Akio again, if only on my screen. And those two stooges, Seiji and Daisuke as well. Are they still otaku boys? And don't you dare call me that, either; I have you guys as friends. That doesn't make me an otaku._

_Well anyways, it's dinner time now. I'll write in a few days to let you know what else is up!_

_Your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

* * *

**Round 12: **_**Nakama**_

I wanted to make at least one of these chapters that explore further into a character's background, to delve into the mind of how one of the principle players worked. This is Karin's turn, since no one's really delved into how she operates and how she was raised. With her superiority complex and haughtiness in SFA3, I figured this would be a good explanation of that attitude.

Also: Gouki is badass. I wanted to project that badassitude in the beginning of this chapter, as well as add a bit of imposing, looming doom. Because that's what he is, really; a walking pillar of **doom**. Still, he doesn't kill those who can't fight; I wanted to demonstrate that as well.

All right, next chapter will be up in a few days. Sit tight.

_That's enough! Unbeatable!!_


	13. Innovations

_If one wanted to sum up the whole of what I've done in my life, it comes down to three words; live, love, and fight. _

_The first part is simple. I just live my life to the fullest, every day. I work out, have friends, go places to eat, things of that sort. I have about two years worth of college education behind me, and that's enough for something, but it's not all that important to me. What is important is that I know how to put a smile on my face and laugh at the world instead of be angry all the time._

_Never was good at math anyway._

_The second is a bit more complicated. I never did have a boyfriend or anything, and sometimes my friends have teased me about that. But I have loved my parents, my friends, my teachers, my rivals. I can't just rest on one person when it's time to talk about who I love, because everyone means something to me. That's just how I am._

_The third is the hardest to explain of all, and yet it's simple. Fighting is what I do; it's how I make a living. I train to fight, I fight to win, but I understand that I'll lose at any given time. I can accept that; in fact, I gladly embrace it. Losing is a lesson, a form of instruction. It demonstrates where one needs to improve and to grow. But money isn't all that important to me, or fame, or status, though all three have gotten me to where I am today._

_I fight for the fight, because of the fight. I put my entire focus on the opponent, and in combat, further understand how they work; who they really are and what they are made of. Now, it's not like I look for a fight everywhere I go. That'd be wrong. What I do is remain mindful that a fight can happen at any time, open challenge or no. The key therefore is not picking a fight, but letting the fight pick you, and training so that one is confident that they will see it through to the end, and in their favor._

-Excerpt from "Surge of the Soul: Journeys with the Master"

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Sakura hung from a tree branch in the forests surrounding Suzaku Castle, her short hair dangling from her head and her denim jacket equally draped downwards. She was lucky that she had tucked the shirt she was wearing in before she tried this – otherwise it'd be embarrassing. Instead of sandals, she wore he running shoes, but the rest was the same; black jeans, blue jacket, but this time with a different shirt on.

She had the silliest grin on her face to match the silly position she was in as she hung from a total of ten feet off the ground, her legs damn near attached to the thick branch from which she had suspended herself. Ryu looked upwards at her and said, "Are you done up there yet?"

Sakura shook her head and said, "Just a bit longer!"

Her master couldn't help but smile. "Tell me when you're set."

She was acting like such a little girl, but there was a good reason why. That reason circled around the sheer fact that Sakura Kasugano had gotten this high due to a very unorthodox method. One usually climbed a tree to get this high, but not her. No, she had _jumped_ upwards, ten feet into the air, and perched herself onto the branch.

She was getting much, much better at the first part of the Shoryuken, or rather the first element of it.

After a few more minutes of hanging around, she disengaged from the branch, let herself fall, and righted herself just before she hit the ground. Running her hands through her hair and shaking her head vigorously to clear the dizziness, she turned towards Ryu and said, "Okay, let's do this."

He nodded and said, "I can see you've pretty much got the first part down; good. Now it's time for the second part." He placed a hand against Sakura's right forearm and said, "Now that we've got the leap, it's time to get the weapon. I want you to focus your energy towards your forearms and hands. Go ahead and do it now; shouldn't be too hard."

Sakura nodded as Ryu stepped back, and she channeled ki below her elbows. There were less vital points in the arms than the legs, so it wasn't all that hard to do. She could feel a slight heat radiating from her skin where she had channeled energy, and she nodded. "Okay, got it."

Ryu smiled and said, "That was much easier than the legs, right? Okay, now that tree you were up in just now, I want you to hit it with full force."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, but turned and did not ask anything. She wasn't afraid of hitting the damn thing, of course. She knew her fists could take the impact. Setting up in stance for a brief moment, she took a step forward, and before her front foot was on the ground again, executed a right straight.

The bark and trunk gave way _before_ her fist impacted with it, but dissipated soon after, leaving that fist to penetrate much further into the tree. A neat indentation of her fist was left, and her eyes widened. "Holy crap," she whispered.

Ryu nodded. "That's the second part of it. You have to focus ki into whatever arm you're striking with in order for the hit to really cause a good impact. Otherwise, it's just an uppercut."

Sakura nodded, still a bit shocked. That was the most amazing thing she had done this week. She knew it wasn't over yet, but… it simply moved out of her way even before the fist connected. She imagined what a punch like that would do to a live target… and knew the answer right away. One punch would effectively hit _twice_.

She grinned and set herself into a lower fighting stance, making Ryu raise an eyebrow. Sakura focused ki into her arms again, but this time in a higher amount. With that, she performed a lunging thrust punch towards the tree with her left fist… and marveled as she rammed into it, feeling the ki make contact before the actual attack did. With the added momentum behind the lunge… it connected a total of three times, causing some serious damage to the tree before her fist rammed home.

Ryu's eyes widened. 'What was that?'

Sakura stood up, withdrew her fist, and said, "I think I just made a new move."

Ryu nodded and said, "That you did."

She looked at her right arm and found it to be entirely undamaged. With a grin, her mind suddenly had a burst of inspiration. "You know, I bet this could stop a Hadouken."

Ryu shook his head and said, "I don't think so. Mine's pretty powerful. You'd probably get your arm broken."

Sakura turned towards him and said, "Well how do you know? It's an entirely new move. It might work. And if it doesn't, well that's my fault. Besides, you don't have to make it full charge; you've got enough control over it that it won't do much to my hand once it connects."

Ryu was touched in her faith in him. "That's fair enough. I'll go ahead and fire one off at you. But if it doesn't work…" He smiled and said, "I'm going to work you extra hard before dinner."

Sakura grinned and replied, "A bet, huh? Okay, fine. I lose; you get to beat the stuffing out of me. But if I win…" she points toward him and said, "You get to cook dinner tonight!" Yes, she was that damned confident. Ryu didn't mind that bet at all; he could cook just fine. That was, if he lost.

"That's it?" he said with a chuckle. "All right, you're on. Get ready."

Sakura settled into stance again and cleared her mind, diving headfirst into the emptiness. She had a serene smile on her face instead of a teasing one, one that spoke of total confidence. Ryu settled into his stance, taking note of that look on her face, and deciding that he would be better off going just a bit harder with his attack. Just to teach her a lesson and all.

"On my mark… three… two… one..." He breathed in deep and yelled, "**Hadouken**!" The surge wave flew towards Sakura with alarming speed. Yet she remained calm, waiting until the last few seconds before it hit her to execute her own attack. Instead of just using all that ki straight on though, she added something special.

Using her right hand to attack, she willed the energy surrounding it to begin twisting and turning, maximizing the force of the impact. Without even learning how, she had begun to directly manipulate her energy in a brand new way.

"**Kyaaaaa**!"

The fist shot forward, made contact with the Hadouken… and something interesting happened.

Not only was it stopped… but it was returned with a vengeance. The energy that Sakura had forced into the Hadouken reversed its path, and caused it to shoot back towards Ryu with almost double its speed. His eyes widened as he was caught entirely by surprise, and was hit with a taste of his own medicine. He flew back several feet as the shockwave rammed into his chest, and his upper back slammed into the forest floor.

This was one part where his iron body training helped out quite a bit, but that was still a Hadouken, and it still knocked the breath out of him. Ryu rolled backwards, slid to a stop on one knee, and rubbed his aching upper torso. Damn, that stung.

Sakura's eyes widened as soon as she saw the attack head right back where it came from. She had expected it to cancel out the attack, but nothing like this! She looked at her right arm in amazement- did that really happen? She still couldn't believe half the things she did these days, and this time she was just playing around. But this… this was actually useful.

Ryu stood up, dusted himself off, and said from where he stood, "Well that was new!"

Sakura looked towards him and said, "Are you all right? I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?"

Ryu laughed and said, "Sakura, you can't hurt me just yet! But seriously, that took me off guard; how did you do that?"

Sakura began walking towards him and said, "Well you know that energy in my punch? I just had an idea that if I gave it a little twist, it'd magnify the force. I didn't expect it to work, and especially not in that way."

Ryu raised both eyebrows and said, "You thought of that yourself?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Yeah, just made it up on the fly."

That chill ran up Ryu's spine again. 'This is incredible, and yet entirely scary. She's making up her own moves even as I teach her mine. With the right timing, this one could definitely be a counter to a lot of things.' He shook it off and said, "That's amazing. If I'd known you were this creative, I'd have shown you what I knew a long time ago!"

Sakura grinned and said, "But it's so awesome that you're teaching me now!"

He nodded and winced as he rubbed his chest. "Seriously, it feels like someone fired a shotgun up close…"

Sakura raised an eyebrow for a moment, and then snapped her fingers. "I really have to thank you for giving me all these ideas. I just thought of a name for it."

Ryu chuckled and said, "Well let's hear it."

Sakura placed her hands on her hips and said proudly, "This move is the _Sakura Sandanjuu_."

Ryu smirked and said, "Cherry Blossom Shotgun. Sounds appropriate, because you just blast whatever comes your way back at whoever threw it." He placed a hand in Sakura's hair and ruffled it. "Seriously, you're gonna be dangerous when someone actually picks a fight with you."

She gave him a thumbs-up and said, "That's the idea. I want to be ready for anything."

Ryu nodded, but his mind began considering the applications up close. 'This form of ki isn't going to hurt anyone. The kind of utilization for the energy I'm teaching her to use won't kill anyone; it's only going to make them feel a lot of pain. But if this move is used up close, it'll still be a hell of a shot.'

For the first time, he wondered if she would be doing better training on her own… then thought twice about that. No, he _had_ to finish now. Her potential was limitless, and as she was now, it could still be used for bad ends. No, he had to finish teaching her so that the moves would be so ingrained in her, she wouldn't need to use them any other way.

"Okay, let's get back to business," he said softly. "What you have to do with the Shoryuken is not only focus ki in the legs before the jump, but in whatever arm you are striking with at the time as well. They both have to be activated at the same time, or else the move won't work. Got that?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Got it. I'll give it a shot."

And so, they began practicing the second part of the Shoryuken.

* * *

Karin was back at the castle, not wanting to take part in any of Ryu and Sakura's training jaunts. She did not want to be the third wheel, after all. Besides, their training was their own, and hers was hers. Still, it got awful lonely around the place. She had just gotten finished whacking her legs, arms, chest, shoulders and back with that bag of hers, thousands of times, and though she felt it a bit silly, she knew that it would lead to improvement over time.

But of course now that she was done, and finished with most of her workout routines, she was bored.

With a sigh, she reached into her bag and withdrew her laptop. When was the last time she wrote a mail to anyone at all? It had been a while, really. As she booted up the computer and began accessing the internet, her eyes widened as she looked at the tons of mail that flooded her inbox.

'Holy shit… I really have been missing out.'

But of course, most of it was junk anyways. She grimaced as she got to cleaning out what was not necessary, but soon came upon an e-mail from someone she did not expect to hear from until much, much later. It was Ishizaki.

'Wait, how did he get computer access? He's supposed to be on vacation.'

Her brow furrowed as she opened the mail.

_To Miss Karin,_

_First of all, I know you are wondering how I was able to write this mail to you. Rest assured I'm taking time off; a nice little vacation in Hawai'i. I figured I could use the sun and time out of the house, and I've been able to afford a room in a nice resort off the coast of Oahu. They have internet access here, and I decided to write you a mail after so many days of rest._

_So then, how are you faring with your training? I do hope Sakura is not giving you too hard of a time. If she is, let me know, and I'll come over there and smack her good, see if I don't! All kidding aside however, it is good that you are travelling abroad and with someone you know. Please see as much of the world as you can and learn all about it. Surely it will help you in running the Zaibatsu more efficiently, as well as make you a better-rounded woman._

_I am sure that your mother, her soul rest in heaven, would be proud to see you now._

_Ah, I got a mail from your father. He asked me if I was enjoying my vacation, which made me believe I was in trouble. But when I just went ahead and answered yes, he simply replied for me to take things easy. I didn't know that he had such care for me, but it does my heart good._

_Please send him mail as well; I am sure that he would love to hear from you._

_Ah, the luau is starting in an hour. I have to get ready to party!_

_Always there for you,_

_Ishizaki_

Karin began to cry for the second time that week. She really should stop; it was not ladylike of her at all for her emotions not to be under her control. Everything was turning out so well… but that wasn't the point. His letter had touched her deep; she was glad that she had taken the time to read her e-mail.

'Ishizaki… please take care of yourself. I don't know when I'll see you again.'

From that point on, she made a vow to write Ishizaki and her father at least twice a week, like Sakura had promised to Kei. She had to pick a time different than hers, though; being too much like her rival would be a bit creepy. She figured that it was a good enough reason to get up in the mornings, and get up early.

In fact, she began writing her response to Ishizaki that very moment, editing and re-editing until what she wanted to say came out just right. It took her five minutes to do that, and then another five… and then some… to write to her father. After all, she had to apologize about going right over his head yet again.

'I don't regret it, though,' she thought to herself. 'Ishizaki is right; this will help me in more ways than just beating Sakura. I'm going to take a trip for myself this time.'

Before she was done, Sakura and Ryu had come back, and she walked over towards her, interested in what she was typing. "What are you up to?"

Karin smiled and said, "Keeping in touch."

* * *

As Ryu made dinner (he had lost the bet after all), Sakura relaxed in the castle, her own laptop out and ready to go. She had decided to write to Kei a bit earlier this week, but first she had a surprise of her own. Kei hadn't responded, but someone else had – Akio.

_Dear Sakura,_

_I know we haven't spoken in a while, but I figured I'd play catch up. Actually, Seiji and Daisuke asked me to write this for you, so it doesn't count for much, but what the hell. They wanted me to ask you when you were coming back to the ring. Those two are otaku to the core, really. It's embarrassing to hear them talk about you as if you were some kind of idol, but whatever floats their boat._

_I know you're worried about me and Kei seeing each other; you're her best friend after all. But rest assured; I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Heck, any friend of hers is a friend of mine, and I like a woman who can kick ass. Mind you, I'm already seeing someone, so that's not an offer._

_All joking aside, we're really waiting to see you again. It'll be great to see how far you've come, and I'm glad you're walking the path you've always wanted to walk down. You're doing what most people wouldn't even dream of, and that's on top of seeing the world too. I'm kinda envious; I can't imagine going anywhere outside of Japan._

_But never mind that. I sure hope you respond to this mail soon; I'm a bit nervous about how you'll respond to me. Try not to bite my head off too hard. I like my neck in one piece! Oh, and send some more pictures of Karin. The other two stooges will want to get a glimpse of her again, and I won't stand in their way. You're really good with a camera, by the way – you got that pose perfectly. Keep it up!_

_Work hard,_

_Akio Tanaka_

Sakura chuckled and said, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun with this."

It wasn't that she didn't like Akio; on the contrary, he was one of the best guys that she had ever hung out with. It was just that she loved, absolutely loved teasing him. Not just him, but the other two as well. She missed them all very much, but her iron determination would not let her back down. She would finish, stay the course, and travel wherever Ryu led.

'And then… then the sky opens up, and I can fly anywhere.'

Then there was Gouki to think about. Ryu hadn't announced a departure yet, but once he did, the chase was underway. They would have to move and keep moving until either he gave up, or they were able to fend him off for long enough that he would leave them alone, if only temporarily.

Sakura didn't necessarily want the second one, but… she had to admit it sounded interesting.

'The master of Goutetsu-ryuu Ansatsuken… He's dangerous to fight, but I can't help feeling that he'd really be able to push someone to their limits.'

And wasn't that the kind of fight she wanted? Wasn't it?

But she wanted to live even more. Gouki tended to kill whoever fought against him; winning wasn't enough. She grimaced and remembered why she was so afraid of him – the Satsui no Hadou. She had felt it once before, and it was not a pretty thing. It was like the Hadou no Chikara, only tainted red and filled with the screams of the lives it had consumed.

She shuddered and muttered to herself, "Best not to run into him just yet."

She shook her head to clear the dreadful thoughts from her mind and began immediately writing her response to Akio, attempting to clear her mind with words. Before she had gone to bed, she not only wrote back to him, but to Kei as well, with an extra note to her mother and father, whom she had not spoken to or seen in some time.

It wasn't because she didn't want to; just that she couldn't. Too many things to do, too little time to call or write. But now she had all the time in the world, and she promised to use it more often. She had to be called outside for dinner by Karin before she was finished, and decided to save a draft of the letter for later.

Fortunately by that time, her head was clear of the demons that had managed to crawl into it.

* * *

**Round 13: _Innovations_**

Hah! Bet you didn't expect that one did you? I figured I would put something extra in here, and this is it! I decided a while back, while I was writing the first few chapters of this story, to create a few new moves for Sakura. I figured with her intuitive and imaginative nature, she would have made this one up on the spot. Besides, don't you tell me that it wouldn't be cool to see a projectile fired right back where it came from!

In any event, let's hear it for those who are reading this drivel. Huzzah for thee, for thou art making my life complete by reading what I have to write! Still, reviews would be helpful, as they would tell me where I'm strong and weak. Please, pile 'em on. They are my Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs (Calvin and Hobbes FTW).

Well, I'm going to bed now. See ya.

_I've never seen a battle like this!_


	14. Shoryuken

_I never did enjoy writing a diary._

_There are too many things going through my head at any given moment to know where to begin. Yet and still, I must write down my feelings about everything that is going on. Seeing as this is my first entry, I may as well make it a profound one. Then again, there might be something even deeper along the way as I search myself, so this may not be my most poignant moment._

_To begin, my name is Karin Kanzuki, and I am the current chief stockholder for the Kanzuki Zaibatsu. I have been with a man known only as Ryu and his student, Sakura Kasugano, for the past month and seven days now, and it has been an intense and gratifying experience. I never thought I would put those two words together before now about a single period of time, but there you have it._

_For this brief moment in time, I am age twenty-three, the period of life in which one begins to shape their own destiny, having already started school or work, gotten their driver's license. Considering that this only happens once every year, I suppose I am Sakura's senior. With that said, I am nowhere near at her level of fighting. Over time, she has become more than just a rival to me, and in that respect, I have much to thank her for._

_But first and foremost, she is my brick wall that I have to smash through; my one example of how I should fight, perhaps even live. This diary will probably show little about me, but much about my friend and the man who has taken her under his tutelage. With that said, here goes nothing…_

-Excerpt from the diary of Karin Kanzuki

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Atop the roof of the castle, the sounds of a battle being waged could be heard. Two figures in white karate uniforms struggled for position and advantage, attempting to gain a proper point of reference for an appropriate strike.

Both were staring intently at each other as they attempted to get inside the other's guard. The woman quickly grew bored of this waiting game and threw a jab towards the man's jaw, which he subsequently blocked. She retreated and threw the jab again, combined with another from the same side. They were blocked as well, and she came in with a third…

…Or not. As he moved to block, she immediately changed directions, lowering her left hand and delivering a hook to his body. Unfortunately, he dropped his right elbow with uncanny timing, stopping the attack cold.

"Good try," he said with a nod. "Do that against someone who won't expect it."

The woman nodded and settled into stance again, moving around on her feet. She tossed out another jab, but this time he was expecting it, and immediately parried it, his left hand arcing in for a straight just as the punch came home. The woman ducked, knowing perfectly well that he would try to set that up, and moved in with several hits to his body.

She felt the fists impacting, sinking in a few inches, and yet he seemed unfazed. 'He really is tough,' she thought to herself as she caught his uppercut and attempted a right knee kick. Her attack was caught as well in the same movement that caught his uppercut, and now they were in hit-trade mode.

The bad news was that the woman caught more heat than the man did, and ended up stumbling backwards for a few inches after a hit to her solar plexus. She sucked in a breath of air before she settled back into a fighting stance. 'Wow… not only tough, but accurate, too. It's just as I expected.' Well she would just have to be faster than he was.

For a brief moment, she focused her ki into her legs before lunging forward with a sudden, explosive movement. The man immediately went into defensive mode as she approached, and blocked her thrust punch to the chest before coming in with another shot to the body, this time with his own knee strike.

She saw it coming out of the corner of her eye and immediately threw her right elbow into his left side, making him halt what he was doing and stumble for a bit. Not wasting any time, the woman executed a left front kick, further knocking him off balance and to the ground. Sure, he'd get up, but he had been knocked to the ground.

'Sweet, I got him!'

Sakura Kasugano had been challenged by Ryu to a battle in the early morning, just a light sparring session. While she didn't feel quite ready yet, he assured her that he would not do anything to hurt her. They both had grappling gloves on, Sakura donning her traditional red this time. After all, this was a special occasion.

Ryu sprung back to his feet and settled into his stance. "Very good, you forced me into an opening. Get ready!"

With that, he came at her with a left roundhouse kick aimed at her ribs… but just as she lowered her right arm to block, she felt a pain in her leg. She had fallen for that one, plain and simple. Another kick was landed to the other side of that same leg, and the pain intensified. She gritted her teeth and waited for another opening, and as soon as Ryu lifted his leg a third time to attack…

'_There_!'

She rammed her right fist into his gut with a vertical punch, nailing him right in the solar plexus. His breathing cut short and he stumbled backwards again. Ryu got hit twice with punches to the chest before settling back into stance just in time to slip past her third punch.

Sakura was caught with a hammer fist to her right side that made her bones rattle and made her stagger to her left. Oh, that stung. But she forced her mind to silence itself as her face took on a determined expression. She had to keep moving. And move she did as she stepped forward and attempted to deck him clean in the chest again. He blocked, and she struck again, and again, maintaining pressure on his guard.

'She's into it now,' he thought to himself. 'That was a good rush.'

But soon, the punches began to get predictable, and he made an attempt to counter. As her next punch came in, Ryu suddenly rammed his right fist into her gut, trying to wind her again. The key word here is trying, because Sakura withdrew her attack and spun to her left. The punch whiffed… and Sakura was in the finishing position for a spinning roundhouse kick.

Her shin bone stopped two inches from his head.

Ryu sighed and said, "You got me."

She grinned and replied, "I got _lucky_. You hit hard. Anymore, and I'd be in your shoes! Besides, this is just a spar. If you were going full out, I'd lose quickly."

Ryu smiled and said, "Well one thing's for sure; you've got the basics down. Almost threw me back there, too." The two of them relaxed and bowed to each other, then made their way down from the roof. "You're going to have to show me the Shoryuken today, since you've proven to be so good at defending yourself."

Sakura nodded. She would have to put everything she had learned over the past few days together, seamlessly and simultaneously, and it would be no easy feat. A week had passed since she started training this new move, and she would have to get it right now, or spend the rest of the month trying to. Not like she minding practicing this for the rest of the month; she enjoyed her time with Ryu. Still, this was her chance to work it, and work it right.

"I'll do my best, sensei."

* * *

They headed into the forests again and isolated themselves in an area that was entirely silent. There were no birds, no insects, and apparently no wind through the trees- it felt like the place was trapped in a vacuum. "This is a strange part of the forest," Ryu said softly. "Absolutely no sounds pass through here besides our voices. It's been here for a while, and whenever I come back to this castle, it's my meditation area."

Sakura nodded and said, "So what am I going to be using it for?"

Ryu said solemnly, "The Shoryuken is marked by the distinct sound of the air moving away from the fist as it travels upwards. Should this move be executed with enough intent behind it, it will literally cut the air, and anything else in its way."

Sakura lowered her eyes to the ground and said, "Like Gouki?"

Ryu nodded. "Exactly like him. But we're using a different kind of ki than he does. So what I'm listening for is the sound of the air parting as you move upwards. This is achieved by the ki that's focused in the striking area, the fist. So far, this is the only place where one can hear such a thing properly."

He sat down on the ground, folded his legs in lotus posture, and closed his eyes. "I don't have to look at your Shoryuken to know if it's a good one. All I have to do is hear it. Whenever you're ready, let one fly."

Sakura nodded and took a few steps back. Ryu began his breathing, tuning out other distractions. Sakura began hers as well, and within mere moments her mind was a void. She felt the ki flowing through her, but did not take hold of it. She had realized that was her problem in the first place. She was only the humble guide of such energy, not its master. She had to align herself with it instead of try to control it.

Sakura dipped low, keeping her back as straight as she could. Her waist twisted slightly, and the energy seemed to multiply in speed as it raced towards her legs. At the same time, she brought her right fist to bear, using her willpower to increase the flow of energy in the entire forearm. Whereas it took several seconds to do this before, now at the end of the week it took a mere two-tenths of a second.

Yes, she trained that hard. This was a full-time thing for her. It was work, it was life.

And it led to this…

"**Shoryuken**," Sakura shouted as she launched herself upwards, fist pumping into the air as her legs drove upward. The distinct rush of air being displaced was heard, even in her ears, and yet her mind was undisturbed. It felt good, that was for sure.

At the top of her jump, she felt the energy wind down and fade away, and immediately began her rotation. By the beginning of her descent, she had her back turned to the direction that she initially faced, but by the middle of her fall, she was facing in said direction again.

Thus as she landed… she felt no discomfort, and her knees bent as she settled back into stance.

It was done.

Ryu opened his eyes, smiled, and clapped his hands in recognition of her achievement. "Exactly, you got it on the money. How did it feel?"

Sakura smiled and said, "Like I was _flying_." She giggled and said, "I wanna do that again!"

Ryu nodded and said, "Go ahead, but there's one catch." He stood up, placed his toes on a nearby rock, and moved it until it was over his right foot, just before flicking it upwards and catching it with his right hand. "Try to hit this."

Sakura calmed herself and prepared to go for the rock. It weighed a good five kilos. Ryu tossed it in his hand a few times and said, "If you can break this in one shot, I'll acknowledge you as having completed training in this move. Then you're free to do with it as you wish, modify it in any way you see fit."

Sakura nodded, but said nothing. This was her chance to show the strength of this move. She set herself and prepared to jump.

Ryu simply tossed the stone into the air at a high angle, underhanded. Sakura immediately dipped low, focused her energy, and shot upwards for fifteen feet. As expected, the fist impacted with the rock on its way down, and the ki surrounding the striking area alone shattered the rock. She recovered, landed, and raised one leg, focusing a bit of energy towards the foot before stomping downwards.

The leaves on the ground seemed to flee from her as she created a small shockwave. "_Osu_!"

Ryu smiled. "And that is the Shoryuken."

She grinned and just about tackled Ryu, hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much! I promise I'll work hard to make this my own!"

He ruffled her hair with one hand and said, "Don't mention it. Just use it at a proper time, okay? You don't have to rely on this move all that often; otherwise it'll get predictable."

She nodded excitedly and said, "I promise! Really, I'll be careful!"

He chuckled and didn't think she would, but he would have to trust her for now. "All right, let's get back to the castle. It's way past time to eat breakfast, don't you think?" He began heading back towards the castle with Sakura in tow. She remembered that it was Karin's turn to cook, especially since she had insisted on doing it herself.

'Just hope she knows what she's doing. I mean, she's been in the care of servants for so long… I doubt that she can cook for herself.' Sakura shook her head and cleared it of doubts. She would rather trust in her friend than doubt her entirely. Besides, if it did go bad, she'd teach her how! That was what friends were for, after all.

"Can't wait," she said excitedly.

* * *

Karin was nervous. To be honest, she had never really cooked anything before now. Sure, fish was supposed to be simple and all that, but in reality it took a lot more than just cooking and eating it. Luckily for her, she had the internet to show her how things were done.

'I just hope I did it properly… I can't exactly taste my cooking _while_ it's cooking. Not like this, anyways.'

Thankfully, she need not have worried.

"Wow, are you sure this is your first try?" Sakura asked with a hint of surprise. "This is good stuff!"

Karin actually blushed slightly. "I admit it needs work, don't go too easy on me. I certainly would like you to teach me a few tricks; you seem to cook so well." Still, she felt happy that she could help out, just a bit. She cleared her throat and said, "So where do you think we'll head after we're done here? I mean, if Sakura finishes her training early."

Ryu had to consider that for a moment. True, they were ahead of schedule, but she still had a ways. "Well I'm just teaching her the basics. She'll have to develop the rest of it on her own, but once she learns everything, we'll probably be heading towards China first."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and said, "Why there?"

Ryu shrugged, as if he didn't know why. He had a reason, but didn't want to explain just yet. "I figure it would be a good place to begin looking for fights, since most, if not all of what they do there is kung fu. I actually know someone who has practiced and mastered several different styles of Chinese Martial Arts, including Tai Chi."

Karin raised an eyebrow. She had actually trained in Tai Chi as well, so this was of interest to her. "That sounds intriguing. So, do you have any idea where we go after that?"

Sakura grinned and said, "Wherever there's a fight, we go there! We've got technology on our side and our own ears and feet. With those, we can do anything."

Ryu nodded and said, "I'm kind of used to doing the leg work, but if you guys can find something, that's all right as well. But there's nothing like just finding a fight on the road. It could happen anywhere, really. Not like that's a good thing – there are people out there that want to rob you, stab you in the back, things like that."

Karin scoffed and said, "Lowlifes, in other words."

Sakura shook her head and said, "Then we just avoid them. If we can't, it's their bad luck, not ours."

Ryu nodded. "Sooner or later, we'll run into someone strong, and then the interesting part begins. But for now, let's just plan our route and see what happens from there."

But see, there was a problem with having a planned route; Gouki could sense their ki even when Ryu couldn't always sense his. If he could predict their next point on the map, he could intercept them. Sakura had no chance of beating him with her fledging moves. He would have to fend him off every time until she got the hang of her techniques.

'Who knows when that will be?'

No, he planned on going to Hong Kong first, warning Chun Li that Gouki was on the move, and then picking a destination at random. He would only stay in China for a month at best, enough time for Sakura to pick up a few extra pointers, and then moving on. With her doing the tracking and warning them beforehand, it would be a piece of cake to evade him.

'Maybe… or Gouki might catch wind of it and evade them.'

Either way, he didn't really have another option. He'd have to call in a favor, and it wouldn't be pretty. But it would allow him some free degree of movement, and a way to keep track of Gouki in ways that he could normally not accomplish. It was risky, but worth a shot.

Besides, he wouldn't be surprised if she had already caught wind of the incident in that alley by now. If he could inform her that Gouki was behind it, then she would tie him up in her own little chase while he was free to allow Sakura to develop her talents. But then in order to convince her to do that, he would have to do a bit of… creative speaking.

'I don't like lying to her,' he brooded to himself, 'but I don't have a choice.'

"Hey, are you okay, Ryu?" Sakura asked with one eyebrow raised. "You seem a bit… worried."

Karin said nothing, but looked in his direction as well. He looked up, realized that he had retreated into himself, and smiled. "It's nothing. I was just planning things out in my head, that's all. I'd rather just leave it at heading for Hong Kong for the moment." Ryu smiled and said, "Trust me; you'll like this friend of mine."

Sakura nodded and said, "I'm sure we will." She tilted her head to the right and said, "So what do we do in the meantime?"

Ryu smiled and said, "Keep training."

'And hope,' he added silently, 'that we're not caught yet.'

* * *

The day drove towards its end, but Sakura could not sleep. Usually, she was capable of being out like a candle within minutes of closing her eyes, but this time it was different. Restlessness hung over her as if it were a second blanket, making her anxious. She slowly sat up in the night and observed as Karin and Ryu slept soundly.

'Lucky,' she thought to herself.

She silently got out of her sleeping bag and headed outside, her grappling shorts and sports bra the only things she wore to bed. Hey, at least they were comfortable, no doubt about that. Karin always wore a robe of some kind – some things about her wouldn't change at all, she supposed. The fighter girl headed outside, stretched her arms above her head, and decided to do the one thing that she always did when she couldn't sleep… run.

'I have to at least get myself a bit tired.'

A few moments later, she had her running shoes on and was headed at her usual ten mile an hour pace. As her body settled into the familiar pattern, the one where her mind did not have to worry about such things, she began to consider why exactly it was she could not rest. She knew she needed it; knew that she had to get her energy back for the next day.

'So why am I moving right now, attempting to run myself exhausted?'

Her mind could not conceive an answer. Perhaps it did not want to.

She ran through the forests and bathed in the quiet and cool of the evening. Nights like this were going to be few and far between once they were on the move; she figured she might as well enjoy them while she still could. With a content smile, she continued her pace until she reached the waterfall, and halted for a moment as she sat on one of the large rocks near the lake.

The moon shone exceptionally bright tonight, full and round like a silver coin. She reached up to touch it, or at least imagined she could, and smiled to herself. She would absolutely love to live here for the rest of her life; it was beautiful, peaceful, and entirely free of worries. Isolated from the rest of the world, one might say.

"Then again," she said to herself, "That'd be boring; no fun at all. What would I do for money?"

Then she laughed. "Yeah, as if that mattered! I could wash my clothes here in this lake, catch fish from the river for dinner, and just live the peaceful life. But then there'd be no one to fight… and no one to fight means that I couldn't have any fun."

Besides, she couldn't just have Karin for a sparring partner.

"There have got to be all sorts of tough people out there. I have to see how far I can go." She stopped reaching for the moon and stood up from the rock, stretching out as she did so. "Phew, still not tired." She looked down towards all the smooth river stones that were next to the lake… and suddenly had an idea.

Sakura grinned and said, "Might as well try it out!"

She hopped down from the rock, landed on the balls of her feet, and dusted herself off before taking a single, cleansing breath. She smiled as she channeled energy into her right leg, lifting it upwards as she did so before ramming it into the ground. This time, she added a bit more to it before doing so and sharply exhaled as her leg pounded home.

Several stones flung upwards toward head height, and time seemed to slow down as she began ramming her fists and feet towards the rocks. Whenever her attacks landed, even without ki behind them, they smashed whatever they hit, shattering them into tiny pieces.

Naturally, this took an incredible reaction time, and the average reaction time is one-fifth of a second; around the neighborhood of 0.2 seconds. That's not bad, but it's not fast enough. Sakura however had been training for years before now. Now that she was using the original style itself… reaction time was not a problem.

Within the space of a single second, Sakura executed a flurry of sharp, accurate blows that caused multiple stones to shatter like so many fragile ornaments. With that said, she was finished with all six stones in the time it takes for one to blink. Letting out a long, controlled exhale, she allowed the rocks to fall towards the ground again, looking at her handiwork.

"Not bad," she said with a smile.

Her reaction time was above and beyond, at almost a tenth of a second. It was simple to increase such a thing as timing, but difficult to use that timing to advantage. Then again, it was how she had remained undefeated; knowing when an opponent was going to commit to an attack, and then immediately responding to it in the opening that was left.

And with that, she began to move again, back towards the forests. There was something else she wanted to try. As she made her way towards one of the biggest trees she could find in the place, she wondered if this would work in the way it was intended to. She had seen Ken use the move once… and wondered if she could execute it.

His version of the Shoryuken landed multiple times, ramming into the opponent in more than one spot. Was this how he did it? Did she just unlock something more than just a new move this day? The more she thought about it, the more she had to know.

She stopped in front of a sizable tree and took a look at it for a brief moment before suddenly coming to a decision. She dipped, focused, and immediately executed, shunting even more energy into her legs and right arm than before.

"**Shoryuken**!"

The punch landed… and it rammed its way up the tree. Sakura could feel the pressure of multiple strikes; not just two of them, but four. She reached the top of her ascent and felt the energy fade as she twisted, facing forward again upon landing. She looked up at what she had wrought… and grinned.

"So that _is_ how it happens."

She had left a clear rut in the tree, a mark of the punishment the attack could deliver. She grinned and said, "Oh, this is gonna be so awesome. I can't wait to make up my own version of this."

Now all she needed to do was find out how… and that was something that Ryu could not teach her. But she liked that; it was better for her to form her own strategies anyway. Besides, it was no fun just copying the move without putting a little twist on it!

* * *

**Round 14: **_**Shoryuken**_

There you have it, guys. The second move established, and she's already putting a killer whiplash on it. How far will she take this one? What new mark will she leave on one of the staple moves of Ansatsuken? Only time will tell, because not even I know. Honestly, I don't; I'm just writing from the hip here.

In this chapter, I decided to look forward a bit; try and get some story work done on where they would be going and when. Sakura's training will be finished soon, and it will more than likely be high time to leave. Once again, I have no idea how they're going to begin their journey around the world, but it's going to be a wild and crazy ride, that's for certain.

Once again, thanks for reading the story; I appreciate it quite a bit. Though I would like a review or two left in your wake, it does my heart good to see people reading what I have to offer. Keep watching for more excitement!

_Prepare to strike… now._


	15. Meanwhile, in Brazil

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, somewhere in a nearly empty gym, a dark skinned young man of age nineteen walked towards the center ring. Standing at five foot four and weighing in at one hundred and forty six pounds, he was athletically gifted, and had the body to prove it. He wore a pair of sparring gloves and black boxing shorts, but he definitely was not trained in the sweet science.

No, his fighting style was of a different sort; a familiar sort.

His trainer had a grin on his features as he saw the young man enter. "Hey, look at this! It's my favorite sparring partner!"

The young man smiled and said, "Yeah, that's only because I'm an easy target to hit for you."

He laughed and said, "Oh, don't say that; I'm sure you'll improve over time! You've still got a few years to catch up, but you'll make it."

The big man stood five inches taller than his opponent and had a couple of pounds on him as well. It was a considerably rough matchup, but the young man had expected such a thing. It was simply a tool to train him harder; that was all. He headed up the steps, stepped through the ropes, and began bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Same five minute rounds?" he asked as he loosened up.

His training partner nodded. "Same five minutes. You show me you've improved; I'll show you something new. Just remember, you can use anything at your disposal besides attacks to the groin. And I want you to properly protect your head this time… I tossed you around like a feather in the wind because you let your guard down!"

The young man nodded and grimaced. He was a bit close to a knockout that time, and was knocked _down_ more than once. He was done warming up and said, "All right, let's do this. I won't hold anything back."

His trainer grinned. "That's what I like to hear!"

The two walked towards the center of the ring, touched gloves, and began to spar.

In order to show why this young man is so significant to our tale, we must go back to the very beginning.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

Sean Matsuda was born on April 12, 1980 to a Japanese father and a Brazilian mother. Growing up, he was shown to have an impressive display of talents, mostly in sports, and from a young age was trained in Jiu-jitsu by his grandfather, Kinjiro. Due to this discipline and rigorous training, Sean became a polite and courteous boy, and yet had a fierce and burning desire to win at whatever he put his hand to.

When he was seven years old, he saw something that changed his life forever. An American with blond hair, brown eyes, and a fighting style that resembled what he was learning… only with much, much more speed and sheer force. As Sean watched the tournament that his grandfather had taken him to, he was stunned by the man's high-risk, yet highly effective moves and swift kicks that ended each match that he fought in within seconds.

Ken Masters looked entirely effortless as he won the tournament single-handedly, without a scratch or a knockdown.

From that impressionable age, a decision was reached, and it would be one that he would end up sticking with, even during high school, when priorities usually changed dramatically. He wanted to fight like the man in red did. Those leaps, those kicks, and the strange move he performed with his hands extended. He wanted to know the feel of them for himself.

So from that day forward, he plunged head-first into his training with renewed vigor, while proving himself to be an impressive athletic and academic student. He wasn't just good at one sport; he was good at quite a few of them. Soccer was his notable favorite and thus he played for his school's team, but he also spent countless hours on the track and played basketball as well. But ever in the back of his mind, one thought echoed.

'I want him to teach me that!'

Now, as one considers that the young man named Sean sounds quite a bit like someone else, one must realize that he has been training since he was a boy, while the other fighter in question began training at age fourteen. So the difference between the two had to be quite wide, as far as skill was concerned. However, truth is stranger than any sort of assumption.

Before we go any further into that however, let us continue with the tale.

By the time he was age eighteen, Sean Matsuda could be considered a black belt in Jiu-jitsu, second rank at the very least. It was then, when he was a well-rounded young man, that he made his decision. He would hunt down Ken himself and beg him to train him. And once he had set his mind, there was no going back.

After his flight to America, Sean began using the money he had on his person to track his master-to-be down. And yet, Ken Masters was elusive, constantly moving from one area to the next in a whirlwind, looking for a decent challenge. Considering that it was a full three months before he picked up a decent lead, Sean worked hard to find the man in red.

On the day he found him though, he wasn't wearing red at all, but dark blue jeans and a black shirt, his hair cut much shorter than before. But there was no mistake that the muscular frame and agile stride was definitely that of the man he admired. Sean politely walked up to him in front of the hotel that he stayed at and called him out. "Excuse me, Mr. Masters…"

Ken turned around and looked towards him, raising an eyebrow. "Can I help you with something?"

Sean grinned. "I need to talk to you for a second. I've been looking for you for the past few months."

Ken smirked. "Is that so? Well, you sure have found me. But can't we talk out here? I don't mind sharing information in public. Let's start with your name, since you know mine."

Sean extended his right hand and said, "I'm Sean Matsuda. A real honor to meet you; I've been a huge fan ever since I saw you in Brazil back in '87."

Ken raised an eyebrow and said, "Yeah? A fan from all the way back then?" He chuckled and said, "Damn, those were the good days, nothing to worry about besides testing my skill." He looked up wistfully for a moment before shrugging the memories away. "So, big fan, what are you doing all the way here in sunny Florida? I mean, you can't just be looking for pleasant conversation."

Sean's face became determined. "Actually, I wanted to ask you to teach me your style."

Ken was silent for a brief moment, and then laughed. "Come again?"

Not even disheartened by the fact that Ken thought he was joking, Sean pressed onwards. "I meant what I said. I want you to teach me what you know. If you're worried about experience, I know Jiu-jitsu already; my grandfather taught me since I was a kid. If you're worried about whether I can take it or not, you can rest assured that's not a problem either."

Ken raised an eyebrow and said, "You know a few moves, huh? Sounds interesting…" But his mind was already made up. He placed a hand on Sean's shoulder and said, "Look, I would love to teach you my techniques, but I'm not taking students at this time. It's nothing personal; I'd just rather not share the secrets all too soon."

That was a lie. He had already started to train his son, Mel. He didn't need another person added to the work load, and besides, it would take away from his personal time with Eliza. The combination of those two factors was simply not to be ignored. "Sorry, dude. But hey, you already know a style; why not use that one? I mean, you can put your own spin on things and create your own techniques, right?"

He patted Sean's shoulder and said, "Once again, I'm really sorry that you came all this way, just to hear this."

And with that, Sean watched as Ken turned his back and walked inside. His face was still set in that determined expression. "Sorry, but I can't just let it end here," he said to himself after Ken had gone inside.

* * *

And from that point forward… Ken saw Sean almost everywhere he went. The kid had an almost uncanny knack for finding him just when he didn't want to be found. "Come on, just one move? I promise I won't let you down!"

This was in Thailand, a month later. Sean had been tracking Ken down from one location to the next throughout that entire summer, and it was getting to the point where he was starting to play on Ken's nerves. And yet, he managed to remain polite about it.

"Hey, look," Ken said softly with a sigh as he sat down with the young man one day, "You really, really seem into this. I know you're all pumped up and ready to go, but you have to realize that this stuff is hard; harder than you think it is. I'm not sure you'd be able to hack it, to be honest."

Sean shook his head and said, "I said before, a long time ago, I can take it. Please, make me your student. At least one move will help!"

Ken sighed. If nothing else, this guy was persistent. "All right, one move."

Since he was already good with Jiu-jitsu, his takedowns were probably no problem, and his kicks and footwork were more than likely spot on. Ken's guess was correct; the guy was a master of ground work, as demonstrated by a light sparring session, and his kicks were definitely nothing to complain about.

Ken was mildly impressed. "Not bad… how long have you been training?"

Sean grinned and said, "Since I was five."

Ken whistled and said, "Damn, that's a while. Know what? I'll teach you more than one move. You could probably use it."

He bowed and said, "I won't let you down, Mr. Masters!"

But of course, he was secretly looking for a way to get rid of him. After all, it was taking time away from being with Mel and Eliza. Pretty soon, Sean moved in with him, and as Ken had stated before, was worked to his utmost. Of course, he still had one more year of high school left, so he would have to finish up. But every morning, he had to wake up early… and work.

When one said work, one meant work _hard_. Ken's extensive training regimen mirrored almost exactly the one that his own master had put him through, and it made Sean feel the burn something fierce. By the time breakfast rolled around, he was utterly destroyed, every day that he trained. It didn't get any better after school, either, but he could feel himself getting stronger.

Before the school year was even a third of the way over, Sean's physical capabilities had allowed him to learn the additional kicks, strikes, and throws that Ken's style had to offer. And yet, Ken did not slow his pace. He even made Sean mow his expansive lawn when it got a bit too high. Of course, this was his opportunity to spend time with his son, who he truly enjoyed training with, and his wife, whom he couldn't do without.

But still, he was impressed at how Sean was progressing. The kid was still annoyingly persistent, but he could pack a mean punch, given a bit of time. It was the day when Sean had made his own takedown that Ken began seriously teaching him his techniques. 'He's got the right stuff, I'll give him that. All I have to do is teach him the basic principles, and he can make his own moves.'

For the next few months, he managed to train him in the basics of the three key moves of Ansatsuken. Of course, he only taught them how they worked and how they were done; he didn't tell him any further details. And Sean picked up on it immediately, making his own Shoryuken variant that ended with a right straight during the top of his leap: the Dragon Smash.

The Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku was replaced with something entirely new; the Tornado. It was a series of solid kicks utilizing the principle of the Tatsumaki, starting with a jumping roundhouse kick. Ken smiled as he saw it in action – it was certainly something new, and that's what he wanted to see.

It was the Hadouken that he had a problem with. The only way he could execute it was by focusing just about everything he had, and even then it wasn't all that good. The Hadou Burst, as he called it, was only good for three hits, but it had enough kick behind it to defeat a normal ki attack. At the very least, it was enough for him to defend himself.

'Yet and still,' Ken said after he was finished training him, 'He's keeping me from doing what I wanna do. This is so not cool…'

Of course, the third World Warrior tournament came about, and though the hosts had decided to hide themselves, he knew for a fact that Ryu would pop up there. The rest would be no problem, but him… he would be the only real challenge. Without informing Sean of it, he entered the tournament in a rather discreet manner.

Of course when the kid found out later, he leapt at the chance to jump in behind his master…

* * *

'Crap it… I can't believe I lost, and to my own master!'

Sean lay on the ground, his world spinning before his eyes. It felt like he had been hit with the equivalent of a freight train as the Shinryuken rammed into him, ending his match before the semi-finals even started. Ken stood over him and extended his right hand, smirking confidently.

"You shouldn't have followed me here, bud. You still don't have what it takes to play with the big boys."

Sean groaned and shut his eyes, blocking out the sunlight and the misery as he reached up to take the hand of his master. "I can see that. Doesn't mean I'll give up…"

Ken shrugged as he helped Sean to his feet. "Heck, I'm not even the best at this fighting style. If you _really_ want to accomplish something, try fighting Ryu. I'm sure you've never seen him fight before, but you should challenge him to a spar when you get the chance. It'll be a… enlightening experience for you."

Sean nodded excitedly, hoping that Ken was right about this. As he walked away to find the man, hopefully before the tournament ended, Ken dusted off his hands and grinned. "That's that for that. Eliza, Mel, I'm all yours," he muttered with a chuckle.

Of course, when he finally ran into Ryu and challenged him, unofficially of course, the man accepted, expecting a good fight. What he got was moves that resembled his style, but didn't quite measure up. He got taken down with that tackle of his though, and was forced to defend himself on the ground before putting Sean in an arm triangle, forcing him to tap.

The two of them got up as Sean recovered his air and felt the world swim back into focus. 'Damn it, he nailed me good. This guy's strong!'

"Still want to fight?" Ryu asked as he took a stance.

Sean grinned and said, "Hell yeah. Let's do it!"

He rushed towards Ryu, hoping to catch him off guard, but the man stood stock still, waiting. Sean executed a jab once he was in close enough, which Ryu blocked, taking a step back to compensate and keep his distance. Sean managed to throw several of them at once however, and his opponent was mildly surprised.

'He must have had some training beforehand. That was a good takedown earlier, and now this speed… not bad.'

Ryu moved to parry that next right jab, but Sean retracted it in mid-flight and immediately came in with a low left roundhouse. It landed home, the feint having been successfully executed. Immediately, Sean came in with a sharp overhead hook from his left, smashing into Ryu's collar bone. Finally, he rammed into his gut with his own Shoryuken, the Dragon Smash.

Ryu was knocked back down to earth, hard, and Sean landed on the balls of his feet. "Impressed?"

Ryu stood up quickly and got into stance. "Very." Unfortunately, that meant it was time for no-mercy. Ryu officially got a move on, and Sean was stunned by the sheer speed of his advance. Forced immediately to defend himself, he could only block or parry the man's strikes, his bones hurting like nothing else as he checked kicks and caught punches on his forearms.

Unfortunately, a constant defense in one area meant that one could be tricked in another.

Ryu began switching it up, attacking high for a few hits, tricking him into reacting to the next punch, and feinting to the body. This was the part where Sean's ribs began to hurt as well, and his breathing started getting heavy. If it weren't for the gloves that Ryu wore, Sean would have a few broken ribs by now.

He attempted to block low, and as his reaction time kicked in, so did Ryu. Literally, in fact, with a low right roundhouse kick to the thigh, four inches above the knee. Oh, that hurt. And it hurt again, and again, until Sean moved to check the kick… but sadly, it was not to be as Ryu faked again, and threw out a sudden surge from his hands.

"**Hadouken**!"

Wham. Sean was knocked to kingdom come by a damn near point-blank range shockwave of ki. Slamming into the ground on his upper back, he was lucky that Ryu didn't put any more force into that than necessary for a knock down. He rose to his feet again, staggering slightly. His body complained like nothing else; it wanted to give out.

'I can't stop now… I have to do something to even the odds!'

Ryu smiled and said, "Admirable of you. But I've already made you submit and knocked you down. The difference between us is pretty big… I think you should call it a day."

Sean gritted his teeth and said, "Don't underestimate me!"

He charged forward again, ignoring the pain. Ryu's face looked absolutely serene as he fired off yet another Hadouken… which Sean subsequently leapt over. In mid-air, he executed a back spin kick with his right leg heading downwards towards Ryu's head. Sadly, the problem with that was that Ryu recovered just in time to smack into him with a well-placed Shoryuken.

Sean gritted his teeth as his guts were rammed into, and with one smooth, clean motion, he was knocked right back into the air. As he landed, Ryu figured it was time to finish this. He calculated the place where Sean would fall, and stood right underneath him…

"**Shinkuu Tatsumaki**!"

Four hits later, Sean was sent packing, a whirling mass of limbs. He hit the ground hard, and this time when he tried to stand… he found that he could not. Ryu knelt down next to him and said, "Let me guess. Ken sent you after me, didn't he?"

Sean groaned and said, "How could you tell?"

The man shook his head and said, "I just can. I understand your willingness to fight, but you can't be so rash. I suggest you go back to Ken and have him teach you a few more moves. Then when you're ready, find me again." He placed a hand on top of his head and said, "You've got talent. You're just not ready yet."

Well, as if that weren't obvious enough…

* * *

Sean of course, headed back to Ken again. Of course, it was the last thing the champ expected, since his battle with Ryu was supposed to convince him to let his friend train him instead of the blonde. He saw Sean walking towards his house and quickly closed the curtains, gritting his teeth. 'Damn it, he just won't leave me alone! It's like he's some kind of ghost…'

Eliza looked towards Ken and said, "Let me guess; Sean's back." She shook her head and said, "Tell me again why you won't train him?"

Ken looked over his right shoulder and said, "Because he's already got enough. The kid's a black belt in Jiu-jitsu and he's got the basics of my style down. He should make his own moves and not worry about someone else's." He sighed and said "And I think that's exactly what he needs to hear. I don't like it, but I'm gonna have to be mean."

Eliza chuckled to herself and said, "Not like you weren't mean to him before…"

Ken smirked and called out behind him playfully, "_Hush_, you. I'll be right back."

When he reached the door though, Ken began having second thoughts. Sean looked entirely dejected. "Good morning, sensei…" The young man attempted a smile, but Ken knew that his heart wasn't in it. How many times had Ryu beaten him to the punch? Was it wrong to make him fight the guy, just to get him off of his back?

Ken scratched the back of his head and said, "Good morning, Sean. I trust you met Ryu?"

Sean nodded and said, "Yeah, it was instructive. It showed me my limits." He lowered his head for a moment, trying to piece together what he was going to say. "Also… I realized that I didn't have much experience. I couldn't predict where his moves were going- his reaction time was a hell of a lot higher than mine was."

Ken nodded and said, "Then you've learned your lesson. You have to bust your butt and fight anywhere you can in order to be as good as us. The cage, the street, the ring, wherever. You have to make it a job; your life's work. Otherwise it's gonna be pointless."

Sean nodded again and looked up towards Ken. "Could you… teach me some more?"

The blond sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I figure I've already taught you enough to formulate your own tactics. You're not gonna be any good with someone holding your hand all the time. Trust me; it's a bad way to go in the martial arts."

Sean was silent for a while. Was it really like that?

Not liking the look on Sean's face… or rather, how it made him feel… Ken smiled and placed a hand on the young man's head. "Tell you what. You train for a year, work on those moves yourself, and make up your own style. Maybe even place in or win a few tournaments. Once you've gotten some combat chops, come see me again. I'll train you like no tomorrow."

Sean raised an eyebrow and said, "Even if I participate in the US Martial Arts Championship?"

Ken paused for a few seconds, wondering if he had just heard that right. Then he shook his head and said, "Sean, I know you like thinking big, and I know you've got heart, but I doubt you'll get that far just yet."

The young man gaped. Did Ken not just say _any_ tournament? So why did he not think that his student could win? Something was very wrong here, and he aimed to find out what it was. "Well I'm going to train hard, sensei. And I'll make you see that I have what it takes. I'll even enter that Championship and win it!"

Ken smirked and said, "You better not eat those words later. If we fight, I won't show you any mercy."

* * *

Bravely wading into battle was one thing, but doing so and expecting to survive with only a year of any real training in the style you're using is another. During the preliminaries of said tournament, Sean won his first three matches and saw hope that he would be able to climb the ladder.

In the next match, he was utterly stuffed, and not even by Ken. It was an opponent that had a different style, but still had the reaction time of someone who seemed like they had been fighting for decades instead of his meager year. He was beaten to every single punch he threw; the man had perfect defense, lightning-fast reflexes. Sean blinked, and he was already hit twice.

He could barely defend himself, much less fight back, and within seconds, he kissed the mat, unconscious. It took him the rest of the day to recover from his concussion, but when he did, it was all over. And as expected, Ken Masters had won again. Not once or twice, but for the third time now.

Sean sighed as he watched Ken hold up the trophy with a victorious grin on his features. Would that ever happen to him? Could he ever reach that high? But then he shook his head and thought, 'What am I saying? If he can, I can. I just have to train harder, that's all!'

The two of them parted ways again, and Ken's last words echoed in his head. "Look, I respect you a lot, Sean. And that's why I'm giving you this advice: find yourself a good trainer that'll teach you how to fight, for good and for real. I've already taught you the basics, but you're gonna have to go everywhere you can for inspiration. It's all for the benefit of your own style."

And so he went back to Brazil and did just that. Over the next few months, he and his new trainer became fast friends, and the man showed him the ropes. A former professional fighter, both in the cage and the ring, he had the size of a middleweight and the speed of a fly, making him a formidable force. His knees and elbows were razor-sharp, his punches were accurate to within a half-inch, and his footwork moved circles around the young man from day one.

Admittedly, Sean was getting better at keeping the pressure up.

And thus, we come to the present day, in which our young hero attempted to keep himself from being knocked around too much. Sure it was a light spar, but this was not exactly going in his favor. But he tried to remember the basics that he was taught, and put on a decent showing before his sparring partner suddenly got faster.

One moment he was there in front of him, and the next he blurred out of sight. Sean felt a fist impacting in his right side and staggered to his left, now lucky that they were wearing gloves instead of just fighting with wraps, or even bare knuckles. That punch would have earned him a broken rib or two, done without protective gear.

"Hey, you okay?"

Sean nodded and took his fighting stance again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Gimme what you got!"

The trainer smirked and said, "To be honest, I think we should take a break, work on a few things. You still need to refine your defense, especially your footwork. Here, let me show you…"

And so they began their drills again, something which Sean was willing to endure in order to improve. They were tedious and repetitive, but what training wasn't? At the very least, he was glad that the man did not train him as hard as Ken had. But Sean had to admit, that hard training was what got him to master the basics in the first place.

In the meantime, Sean helped out around the gym, and even got paid hourly for doing so, since there was a position open. He was a trainer in Jiu-jitsu, since he had a second degree black belt in the style, and trained those who wanted to work on their ground work while he himself worked on his standing game.

Of course, if he had guessed who was outside at the time, he would have quit his job right away.

"Took me a while to find this gym," the blond said as he looked up towards the sign. "But it certainly seems popular enough. It seems you picked a good place, Sean."

He knew what he was about to do contradicted everything he said to him. He knew that he was about to undermine his whole training routine. But an emergency was an emergency, and the guy had to learn the rest of it. Besides, now he could see the logic in what Ryu had told him.

'There are always two students per class in Ansatsuken for a reason.'

Sean needed the combat experience. Sakura could give it to him. They more they trained against each other, the more they could predict each other's moves and form tactics to counter them. And if they could fight against each other, they could fight against whoever they wanted to.

'Who knew that such an old way of thinking was so effective? This'll definitely get him to develop his own style. But I have to convince him, first.'

With that, Ken made his way inside.

* * *

**Round 15: **_**Meanwhile, in Brazil…**_

Well there we go. I figure that this could be one of the more interesting mini-arcs I've done. I plan on focusing on Sean for a few chapters in this one before heading right back towards Japan again, to give his character some exposure and development. Hope you Sakura fans don't mind.

Once again, please, please, PLEASE leave a review, a comment, a footnote, anything. I need to know if this story is actually good or not. Just reading it is great; wonderful. But as an author, I am constantly refining my skills. If there's anything wrong at all (or very right), let me know, okay?

Okay, that's enough begging. See you next chapter!

_Are you ready? Go for it!_


	16. Hard Knocks

His hands were once again wrapped in cotton gauze, colored white. The yellow karategi was once again donned, and this time it was in a bigger size. He had gained a few inches since age eighteen. The young man looked into the mirrors of his sensei's private training studio, clenching his fists and setting his face in a determined expression. This time, he was going to make it count.

'I have to make him believe in me. I'll do whatever it takes to show my skill.'

He had done exactly as Ken had requested- worked on his own moves. Seeing the flaw in his version of the Shoryuken, he changed it so that it hit more than just twice on its way up. There was a unique way that he did it however, and it would be sure to surprise Ken something fierce. His other moves were unchanged, seeing as he felt no need to add or subtract from them.

'They've helped me out so far. I just have to make them more powerful.'

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Sean Matsuda cleared his mind and prepared himself for what would possibly be the hardest few weeks of his entire life. His body remembered what Ken had done to it before, and if that were any indication, this would be worse.

"Okay, ready to go?"

He opened his eyes and saw Ken Masters in the mirror, along with his trainer. The man had to see how this was done; after all, this was a martial arts champion, three times in a row. He wanted to see how Ken Masters trained someone to fight. It would be enlightening, to say the least, and he certainly would be taking notes. Of course, he wouldn't be staying over like Sean was, but he'd check now and then.

Sean turned around and said, "Yeah. Let's do this right."

Ken smirked and said, "Still the same ol' Sean. You can't imagine what you've gotten yourself into."

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

"Two… three, come on. I wanna see some veins popping out here! Four!"

Sean was currently doing knuckle pushups with a weight vest that was loaded with a good thirty pounds worth of plates. His teeth ground together in sheer agony and his breath was labored to the point where it sounded like he was entirely exhausted. But what sport, what true athlete, did not go through this kind of training if he really wanted to be good?

His trainer said nothing. To be honest, this was the kind of routine he was expecting. He was an advocate of the school of hard knocks, and the harder the training, the more extreme the pressure, the better the fighter would be in the end. Sean definitely looked like he was having a bad day, but the guy knew that he'd make it out all right.

"Eight. Nine, you're doing beautifully. Ten… eleven… twelve, keep those abs tight."

Sean exhaled through his teeth, attempting to keep his mind off of the pain. There was something else beyond pain, something deeper. He knew what it was; where it was. Sports had helped him find out. He simply had to reach for it. The goal here was thirty of these, three times a day, until that twenty pound weight vest was a pillow.

It would only go upwards from there. He knew it.

"Eighteen. Nineteen, you're on fire. You feel that? That's your body telling your mind that it can't take any more. Twenty two; it's telling you to back off, to give out. Twenty five, but you won't let it, will you?"

Sean growled and said, "No, sensei!"

Ken grinned. "That's what I like to hear. Twenty nine, almost there… Thirty! Straighten, and down."

To be honest, Sean had just gotten his ass kicked. And it was just the beginning.

"All right, now that we're done with the first part of the warm-up, let's go ahead and get the legs done." Sean's trainer raised an eyebrow. So that was only the first part of it? What exactly was this guy about to put Sean through? Surely nothing that'd kill him, right? The man shook his head and remembered the school of hard knocks.

'Just hope he can take it.'

Ken pointed towards the kettle bells and said, "Grab one of those and get ready to squat. I want you to get as much as you can lift. How much do you think you can do?"

Sean took a look at them and pointed to the one that was a good twenty kilos. "I suppose I could do that one." Sean lifted it up, tested the weight in his right hand, and nodded. "This one's good."

Ken nodded and said, "Now get another one. We're gonna do this the hardcore way. You have to remember that the weight vest stays on, all the time, no matter what. Understand?" He wasn't doing this to punish him in any way, though it was fun to see him squirm. Ken was actually trying to build him up and make him tougher.

Sean nodded and said, "I understand." He picked another one up and said, "Okay, ready."

Ken called out, "Set up!"

Sean knew what that meant. He had to clean those bells and set them so that they were just at his collar bones. He was about to do a very punishing set of front squats, twenty of them. And oh yes, it would hurt like hell. He quickly exhaled as he got into position. "Set!"

His trainer nodded. It was organized chaos. Perfect!

"And down," Ken said as he stood there and watched. "Stay until I tell you to come up."

Sean gritted his teeth as he remained in squat position. Who knew when Ken would let him up again? His quadriceps definitely felt the pressure at the moment, but it was five seconds later that Ken called out, "Up, and one. Down, hold it…"

The time sometimes extended to twenty seconds, and Sean felt his brain go melty. Christ but it hurt!

'Just feel it, don't think about it,' he chanted in his head. 'It's all in your head. Ignore the head, and the body will not feel pain.' But it was easier said than done. Fortunately for him, those little twenty second intervals were few and far between. Still, Ken was being unpredictable with his timing. Sometimes it was an immediate upwards motion, as if Sean were leaping upwards with explosive power. Other times, it was grueling, as if he had a steel chain wrapped around his torso.

By the time twenty reps had been accomplished, his legs were destroyed. Ken nodded and said, "Now that's more like it, huh? Once again, we're gonna do this same routine again, two more times today. This is gonna be life for you; nothing but pain. But once that pain goes away, you will feel worlds better, and stronger."

Sean nodded. His breathing was heavy and his body was already feeling utterly trashed. What he heard next didn't surprise him, but it didn't make him feel any better, either.

Ken clapped his hands together and said, "All right, next!"

* * *

By the time breakfast rolled around, Sean was utterly destroyed. But at least he could get some food in him. As usual, Eliza treated him as if he was one of her kids, and he was grateful for it. "So what have you been up to? Did you pick a college to go to yet?"

Sean scratched the back of his head and said, "Well I've gotten a few letters; I think most of the big ones want me, especially here in the States. I got that scholarship I wanted, so that's pretty much taken care of, and my grades are set. All I have to do now is pick a major."

Ken smiled and said, "Well go ahead and do that. That's another part of making oneself a man. Just remember, you _have_ to keep training, _every day_. You haven't forgotten what I said to you back then, have you?"

Sean shook his head and said, "No I have not. I have to bust my butt and fight anywhere I can, get into any kind of situation that gets me experience."

Ken nodded. "Yeah, and sometimes a situation will just happen out of the blue, so you have to be ready for it. Like someone tries to rob you on the street or just plain ol' wants to knock you a good one because he's hopped up on something. It can happen."

Sean shrugged and said, "I don't mind, I'll be ready for anything once I'm done here."

Ken smirked and said, "Yeah, once you're _done_. And you won't be done for a while yet."

Mel spoke up just then and said, "Dad, can I spar with him? Just to show him how the moves are done? Please?"

Ken chuckled and said, "Not quite yet. After all, _you_ haven't done the moves properly yet. You're gonna have to wait a while too, guy." He wiped his mouth clean and said, "My compliments to the chef! It was great as usual, hon."

Eliza smiled and said, "Don't you two break anything while you're training. I don't want to have to play nurse as well as head chef. Sean, if you get tired, take a break for a few minutes, no matter what this crazy maniac says."

Ken rolled his eyes and replied, "Ha-ha. That's very funny, Eliza." He stood up from the table and said, "All right, back to business. Mel, you come too. It's time for your lessons anyways."

* * *

And with that, Sean put on his uniform again and prepared himself for the actual moves and techniques. Sure he wouldn't use Ken's unique throw or anything, but what he would use were his own standard attacks. Fortunately for him, he had his own trainer still there, waiting for him. "All right, I'm gonna hold this bag here and what you're gonna do is hit it with the combinations I tell you to throw out. I want accuracy and precision, but more than that I want power behind every strike and kick. Got it?"

Sean nodded and said, "Got it."

The trainer smiled and said, "Stance up, get ready to go on my mark."

As for Mel, Ken used focus mitts for his punches. And it wasn't anywhere near serious like Sean's training – no, he thought of this as play time with his son. And considering that was the way to teach a child the martial arts, it was pretty much a good strategy. Not like Ken knew that, but if he did, he'd do it with more vigor than he usually put into it.

Sean's combinations were fast and furious, quickly transitioning from punches to elbows, from elbows to kicks, and from kicks to knees until he went right back to hands again. The patterns called out were entirely random, forcing him to react quickly and change on the fly. This was how they usually trained, and thus it was a comfortable routine.

It was still hard as hell for Sean to keep up, though. "Come on, you gotta be faster. You hear it, you react to it. You see a punch coming, you have to respond. It's the same thing. Let's go, pick it up!"

At the very least, he was building muscle memory. Feeling those kicks and punches impact, feeling the energy as it traveled through his body, was slowly changing his mind and how it operated. With enough repetitions, he would be able to do the moves without thinking, and concentrate on something else entirely. It would turn into a sort of meditation.

It would also be the move set that he would use on instinct in a fight.

And he was building himself up to be one hell of a fighter. Ken watched Sean out of the corner of his right eye and nodded slightly. He certainly had improved in the past year, but there was only one way to find out for sure. But not right now. They were in the middle of something important. But sooner or later, they would spar, and then it would get interesting.

It was better to wait for the time being to see how things progressed.

Soon, Sean moved on to the heavy bag, and his endurance training. And what a training it was. Three five minute rounds of doing nothing but hitting and kicking at the bag, avoiding it as it swayed, moving around in circles while punching, throwing various combinations; he did it all.

And he had to keep up the pace, from the beginning to the end.

"Come on man, don't slow down now. _Push_, keep on pushing. I want the same force in every attack, no faltering!" Naturally, Ken continued pressuring Sean, attempting to find out where his limits were. This first week was merely a test, to see how much he could take. Once all that was done, then he would start training him for real.

Sean was drenched with sweat, his arms tired and his legs burning. And yet, he still moved, continued to push himself, taking it to the edge. By the time the last thirty seconds of the first round had ended, he was entirely drained. "All right," Ken said with a nod, "Good work. You get a two minute rest, and then we're back into it. Get yourself a drink."

Sean bowed slightly before he headed towards the nearby water fountain. He wasn't about to pass up this opportunity! As he drank, he wondered if any of this would be enough to have him win a few tournaments. After all, what good would practicing this be if the moves were not effective? After all, that was what a tournament was for; to test the capability of one's techniques.

'I can't wait to try this stuff out,' he thought to himself as he wiped his mouth off and headed back into the studio. Ken was waiting for him, and he had this strange smile on his face. For some reason, Sean did not like that look, but he didn't say anything.

"Right then," Ken said smugly, "Let's fine-tune those signature moves of yours. Show me what you can do, and I'll show you how you can do it better."

Sean grinned. Now it was time to have some fun.

By the time the day ended however, he didn't think it was much fun at all. But hey, he had learned a few things. The first thing that he learned was that the only solid, viable moves he had were his own personal takedown move and the Tornado. The other two needed some serious refining if he wanted to go anywhere with them.

'I knew I was bad, but not that bad…'

Though he had the proper intent with the Hadou Burst, it wasn't all that effective. Someone with a stronger, more explosive move could stuff it. But Ken still stated that it could probably defeat anything ordinary that was thrown at it. The key was making it even stronger than it was before. But of course, the first thing they worked on was the Dragon Smash and its flaws.

It took the rest of the night to try and get the proper technique down for it. The trick, Sean said, was for both fists, charged with ki, to slam into the opponent in time with the jump, and then on the way up, to make it so that they would hit into the foe one after the other with a spin. Of course, that was the problem – the ki always ran out near the top.

This was why Ken suggested a higher jump, so that it would last longer. His theory: the higher the jump, the more force that was exerted and the greater the damage. But in order to do that, more energy would have to be forced into the legs. And that would take some doing. It would take months of doing, in fact. But they would do it.

Before that night was over, Sean went through another strength training routine that left him so utterly tired, he had to crawl towards the safety of his room. 'This is crazy,' he thought to himself, 'But crazy is good. I can work it if I just push hard enough. It'll turn into a routine eventually, and I'll just keep on ramming through.'

Right now, though, sleep was in order.

* * *

Ken however, could not sleep yet; at least, not until he was done recording Sean's progress. There were a few notes that he took in his head, and now he was putting them to a digital medium, his computer. Most of these would be just conjecture on his part; the rest would be actual, concrete observation. Ken, despite all his laziness, was a master at observing and analyzing moves.

He felt that he should send a copy of these to Ryu, but then remembered that his good friend rarely used a computer. His second option, sending them to Karin or Sakura, was immediately discarded as well. Informing them of Sean's strengths and weaknesses would take the unpredictability out of their initial spar, and he didn't want that.

'It's going to turn awfully one-sided if Sakura knew how Sean ticked.'

No, he would keep them on a ghost drive, locking them away for future reference. That way, he would be the only one who kept full track of how Sean moved and fought. After finishing with all that, he placed a hand to his chin and muttered, "Wonder if I should do the same for Mel, too…"

Then he shook his head. "Nah, that wouldn't be cool. Sean's serious business; Mel is my pride and joy. I'm not gonna turn him into a pet project." With that, he saved the data, closed the files and began to get up and head for bed… but then stopped himself.

When was the last time he had seen Sakura? It had been a few days now, right? He figured he should check on her and Karin, see how they were doing with Ryu. Maybe if he got wind of her improvements, he could gauge effectively how hard he would have to train Sean. But then, that would be cheating as well, and then it wouldn't be any good for her.

'Besides, I wanna see what she can do, not read about it.'

Ken simply settled for writing an e-mail asking about their status.

_To Sakura and Karin,_

_What's up! I'm safely back home and I'm right back into training again, doing what I love and loving what I do. It's been a while since we saw each other, and I figured that I'd drop you guys a line (mostly because I can't sleep). So how's the big guy doing? Is he still as troubled as ever, or does he have an actual, genuine smile on his face?_

_But on a more serious note, has Gouki found you guys yet? Seriously, if he has, you should not be wherever you are at the moment. He's bad news. I'm going to warn you again, just in case you've forgotten; don't let him lure you into fighting him. Don't let yourself be tempted to test your strength against him, either. I don't want you two biting the dust just yet. If it comes down to a fight, let Ryu handle him and run as if the hounds of hell were after you._

_You'll know for certain when you're ready to face off with him. There'll be this deep-seated certainty within, a kind of knowing without knowing how one knows. It's entirely intuitive, and it comes after countless exchanges and battles, time and time again. You know what move is coming, you know where it's coming from, and you know how to stop it._

_Until that day comes, run and run fast._

_But if he hasn't found you yet, I guess I have no reason to worry. Hey, Sakura! Eliza misses you; she says she wants you to come on over so she can trade recipes with you. Or if you don't have any of your own, she would gladly give you some of hers. It's pretty rare to have a natural talent for cooking instead of learning how. Seems you two have become pretty good friends._

_Mel misses you guys as well, and he says he wants to spar with Karin. Of course, he's nowhere near ready for it yet; height and technique have to improve before he can safely challenge anyone. But he's turning out to be pretty good for his age. Maybe he'll be a three time champion like me one day. Only time will tell!_

_So how's the training going? You don't have to tell me all the details; I'm sure you guys are getting stronger even as I type this out. I can't wait to see what you guys have developed on your own. When we meet again, I want another match with Karin. She got me pretty good the first time, but next time I'm pulling out all the stops._

_So then, I'll let you sleep, or whatever else you guys are doing at the moment. I'll send pictures of Mel next time, too!_

_With best regards,_

_Ken Masters_

He leaned back in his chair and looked at the message for a few seconds, wondering if that was everything he needed to write. Maybe there should be more; maybe not. Either way, he felt this was enough for the moment, and moved to send it to Sakura's e-mail, which she had given him earlier.

'I haven't told her about Sean yet. That's what counts. I'll let Ryu do that, if he wants to.'

He stood up, stretched out lazily, and headed towards the master bedroom. Eliza was waiting for him with a smile. "Done in there?"

Ken nodded. "Done and done. But seriously, this day took a lot out of me. If training someone is this hard, I'd rather just stick with Mel." He shrugged and said, "But Ryu asked me to, so I can't really say no. Besides, he's got talent. Just needs to bring it all the way out, and I'm gonna help him do that."

Eliza tilted her head to the right and said, "You never did tell me why Ryu asked you to take Sean as your pupil. Does it have something to do with your fighting style? Or maybe it's just a favor from a friend?"

Ken smiled and said, "Bit of both. In our fighting style, in order to keep it from being too diluted, there are two students per class, and only two." He sat down on the edge of the bed and continued with, "The reason for this is simple; experience. The two students will begin to form a bond that allows them both to push past their limits, and they formulate tactics against each other's moves. Kind of like how I created my own techniques to counter Ryu's."

Eliza nodded, not saying anything just yet.

Ken continued speaking. "Eventually, once they can successfully defend from each other's attacks and counter in response, they can defend from anyone that comes their way. That's why there are only two students at any given time."

Eliza nodded again and said, "Fair enough. I certainly hope they become friends; otherwise it could get very, very ugly."

Ken smirked and said, "Oh, you don't know the half of it."

He knew, though. Gouki and Gouken were brothers once; closer than any friend. But jealousy over the constant improvement of his sibling caused Gouki to do something rash… and he not only embraced the Satsui no Hadou, but went so far as to kill his master, and then later, his own flesh and blood. With that, he became a beast whose only mission in life was to become the strongest in the world.

'A man of pure violence is no longer a man,' Ken brooded. And yet, Ryu was right; vengeance was not the answer. Still, to let someone like that roam around unchecked… was not his idea of a good time.

"…Are you all right, Ken?"

He lifted his head, realizing that he had retreated into himself. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little thought that popped into my head, that's all."

Ken realized that he would have to do more than train Sean… he would have to keep him from going too far. If one focused on simply becoming stronger, if it was the one thought that dominated all others, then they were on a path to sheer destruction. One could not be afraid to lose… because if they were, then victory clouded their vision, and they became nothing but monsters.

He had to keep Sean from turning into another demon. And now he fully realized why he had to finish training the young man. If he weren't trained properly, he'd fall of the path sooner or later, and then the instant it happened his life would change for the worse.

But Ken mentally shook the dark thoughts off and said, "Come on hot stuff, let's get to the restful part of the evening. We got a long day tomorrow…"

* * *

**Round 16: **_**Hard Knocks**_

There you have it; another chapter one fresh out the oven and ready for consumption. Have at it!

There's nothing to say here, really. I'm just going to keep on cranking these things out until the wheels fall off. And if they don't, well I'll just keep on writing. I've been asked how I can upload these chapters so quickly, and the answer is simple. I cram as much character development and plot (and a fight or two) into four to five thousand words as possible, upload it, clean it up, and serve hot with steamed rice.

So far, it's tasty enough, apparently.

I could make them longer, but I like the smaller format. It allows for more readability, for both reader and author. Besides, it's interesting to challenge myself and see how much I can do with the limited wordage at my disposal for each chapter.

By the way, I don't write outlines for these like my other stories. This is just plain writing from the hip. It's done the trick so far, sure enough. Here's hoping I can keep it up!

_Prepare to defend yourself…_


	17. Crouching Tiger

Sean grimaced in concentration, attempting to use his will to channel his energy towards his palms. He thought that if he could just manage to get enough ki into his hands, something would happen. Ken stood at the other end of the room, his own Hadouken already primed to go. This would be interesting, no doubt. Ken called out, "Are you set?"

Sean nodded, but did not respond any further than that. He'd have to time this just right.

His master, wearing a white gi this time, executed his move with a shout. It came barreling towards Sean like a truck, and he'd have to make sure to get his own out immediately before it smacked into him. He put forth all of his will and used it to focus all of his energy into his hands. Just as Ken's projectile was about to ram home… "**Hadou Burst**!"

At point-blank range, the two attacks met, and the more focused, concentrated strike won. But Ken had been teaching him how to maximize his energy output, and as it was now… it not only stopped the Hadouken, but sent it flying right back into Ken's direction without losing speed or force. It was essentially _pushing_ the incoming projectile back at him!

Ken set his stance, clenched his teeth, and braced for impact. The only thing that would hit harder than his own surge was one of Ryu's… and he had a feeling that this would equal it. He was almost right as he slid back a few feet on the wood panel floor, the combined force of the two ki attacks enough to knock anyone who did not expect it for a loop.

And yet he still stood… because he knew the power of his own attack, and that of Sean's. It wasn't quite enough, but this was a good start. Ken grinned and said, "_There_ ya go! That's what I like to see."

Sean grinned and said, "I wanna do that again! That was so _awesome_!"

Ken raised a hand and said, "Hang on there. Slow down a bit and listen." Ken walked towards him and said, "It was good, but you should try and get to the point where you can use it normally. It's a killer move if you can get it to where it becomes standard for you. But hey, if you want to keep it this way, that's fine too. It's your fighting style; I'm just helping you refine it."

Sean placed a hand on his chin for a moment, and then nodded. "I understand. I think I'll leave it as it is. When I throw this out and something comes at me, no one's gonna expect it to go right back at them."

Ken grinned. "Now you're getting the picture. All right, let's keep going."

Two days of non-stop training with breaks only for meals, and Sean was already stronger. Ken was impressed, really. He had already gotten the basics down, but this was a big improvement from a year before. Perhaps the kid really would be ready for what lay ahead. For now, it was time to keep going, because he was almost certain that Sakura was improving just as quickly.

'He's already behind the curve. I have to get him up to speed so that he'll at least be able to match her.'

So it continued, the constant, hard training and the relentless drills, but Sean did not falter. Now, he had hope that he would accomplish something. And that hope was what kept most people going through any martial art. His technique was effective, and it was a surefire surprise attack. That was, if one didn't expect it.

He would make sure to train himself so that no one saw it coming, much less anything else he did.

'Just watch; I'm gonna be the best for sure!'

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Lunch time came around soon, and once again, Sean was entirely beat. But hey, he was used to being worn out. After all, he had spent most of his still young life doing sports or martial arts, and both required exceptional endurance. Naturally, a good meal worked wonders, and today was exceptional, seeing as he was eating outside.

Ken had taken a liking to the grill ever since getting married, and even he could cook something as simple as hot dogs and hamburgers. A salad was made before the meal by Eliza, and pretty soon it was like a little feast had popped up in the back yard. Sure there were only three of them, but there was enough here to go around for quite a while.

Sean remembered things like this back at home, and while they weren't as elaborate, he certainly had a good time. He even invited some of his friends over from time to time when a big dinner was planned. Of course, this made him think about everyone he was leaving behind on his journey, and it made him consider something that he hadn't in a long time.

'I have to check on my mom and dad. I have to tell my grandfather that I fulfilled my dream, or at least I'm busy trying to. There's so much they don't know; they're probably worried about me.'

He would have to remind himself to ask Ken for a trip towards Brazil sometime in the near future, just to check on his folks. If not, then he would resolve to at least write to them. In fact, he would start doing that with or without any kind of permission. He felt obligated to do so, now that the thought had crossed his mind.

Ken looked towards him and said, "How are you holding up, bud? Is the training getting to you yet?"

Sean looked up at him and shook his head. "What? Oh, not at all. I can take whatever you dish out. The harder you push, the harder I'll push back. It's that simple, right?" He grinned and said, "Besides, if I couldn't hack it, I wouldn't be here in the first place."

Eliza smiled and said, "But honestly, it can't be all that hard if you have fun with it. At least Mel seems to be having a good time."

Ken raises an eyebrow and said, "Well that's because I'm not pushing him as hard as Sean. He wants to be a professional fighter, and that means he has to train like one. I'm only teaching Mel how to defend himself- if he wants to go that route when he's older, that's up to him."

Eliza shrugged and said, "I'm just saying, Sean could be having a bit more enjoyment from training. Even if it's hard, you could be having more fun than hard work."

Ken smiled and said, "If you say so."

Sean was tapped on his right leg by Mel, who was oblivious to the conversation this whole time. He looked down and saw a pair of brown eyes looking straight up at him, inquisitive and alive. The young man couldn't help but grin. "What's up?"

He stood there silent for a moment, and then asked quite candidly, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Sean sweat dropped. "Why would you ask that?"

Mel still stared. "Because you're older than me and guys older than me have girlfriends. Do you have a girlfriend?"

Sean scratched the back of his head and said, "I don't think you're at the age to worry about that. I mean, girls are weird to you, right? Heck, they're _still_ weird to me. Besides, I don't have time for one right now." Sean shrugged and said, "Sometimes it's like that."

Mel shook his head and said, "I don't think girls are weird. Why would I think that?"

He looked towards Ken and said, "_What_ have you been teaching your son?"

Ken closed his eyes and said sagely, "That women are a valuable part of society and should be treated with the utmost respect. One must be fair and polite to a girl, or else they will limit themselves in possible friendships and connections."

Mel grinned and added, "And that girls are cute! I think the girls at my school are pretty… well, at least some of them."

Sean couldn't believe what he was hearing. The kid was actually not afraid of girls? Heck when he was little, he was nice to them, sure enough; but he was also scared to death of them. But Mel seemed unfazed. 'Geez, I wish someone had told _me_ that when I was little. Maybe I wouldn't be having as many problems as I'm having now.'

Ken chuckled and said, "Sean's right, though. Neither of you have time for girls." He pointed to Mel first and said, "You have school to worry about, so don't go and kiss any girls on the cheek. You can still be friends with them, though." He then pointed to Sean and said, "And you, I'm nowhere near finished with yet. Don't get distracted."

Sean scratched the back of his head again and said, "Wouldn't dream of it."

By around two in the afternoon, everyone had pretty much had their fill, and it was back to business again. Truth be told, while Mel was away at school, Sean's real training took place. They were all lucky that it was the weekend, to be sure, because Sean got to watch Mel in action. Despite his size, the boy was improving in form and technique. He was already flexible enough; all he'd have to do is grow a bit and work out to give him that power.

Sean was doing plenty of that this afternoon; working out, that was. Three hours after they had all eaten, the weight vest came back on, but this time it wasn't pushups or pull-ups he was doing. He was working the heavy bag and the kicking shield, with twenty extra pounds on his shoulders. Of course, that was only a warm-up.

"Hang on; don't take it off just yet." Ken walked over toward the storage closet and withdrew another weight vest, put it on, and loaded it up with forty pounds worth of weights. "Here's the first thing we're gonna do in improving that second move of yours. I don't know how my bud trains it, but this is how I do it."

He set himself, and Sean could see Ken's legs tensing slightly. It only took about half a second to get ready before the blond leapt into the air with that extra fifty pounds as if it were nothing but air on his back. "**Shoryuken**!"

Sean's eyes widened. "Geez…"

Ken settled down on his toes, bent his knees on landing, and stood up, running a hand through his hair. "You keep doing that, and you _will_ jump higher. It'll also make you remember to put your energy directly into your legs. But even with ki, it's going to be a hell of a lot harder than you think." Ken nodded and said, "Go ahead, if you don't believe me. Try it out."

Sean nodded and set himself into position. He had trained with Ken to the point where he could channel energy as well, but he had never done it with extra weight before. There was no time to argue, though- he had to give it a shot. With a shout, he leapt upwards and executed the move…

…And felt the weight compress on his shoulders, back, and chest. The resistance was quite an annoying thing, because it reduced his vertical jump by several, several inches. It turned from a good fifty six, his usual, to a mere thirty one. It wasn't exactly his kind of ball game. And that was with the energy in his legs, too!

Ken nodded as Sean landed. "That was excellent execution. Do it again."

And he executed it again, and again, but he couldn't get any higher. He began wondering how long it would take; but that thought made him slip and fall once he hit the ground in a slightly off-center manner. Ken shook his head and said, "Focus. You lose concentration, you lose your landing. Get up and try again."

Sean nodded; sweat already beginning to make his skin shine in the lights of the studio. He didn't waste any more time wondering how long it would take; he just executed the move time and time again. By the time he had reached twenty reps, Ken nodded and said, "Okay, time. That was good; except for that one slip, you did it perfectly. I want you to do two more sets of it, and then we'll work on that other move of yours. We're gonna keep doing this until you reach the height you were at before, and then take it off. Got it?"

Sean nodded, his breathing already heavy. He knew it wasn't going to get any easier. So far, he was right on the money. Hey, if it helped, so much the better. Besides, he couldn't wait to get this move to work as it was intended. If he could hit with his fists more than once, it would be a hell of a sight to see, especially for the enemy who stood before him.

Then again, enemy was not the proper word. It was more like opponent, rival, sparring partner. He didn't think of anyone as his enemy, besides people who were dishonorable. And he knew all about honor from his father and grandfather. Still, until that happened, he didn't consider anyone a real enemy.

'If I run into someone like that though, they won't see any mercy from me.'

He leapt upwards again, not going all that much higher than he did last time. But rest assured, he put every ounce of his being into it.

* * *

Sean leapt into the air and forced his ki downwards, executing a vicious Tornado.

Well, he would have, were it not for the leg weights that he wore. He could only manage a few kicks before his ki faded, and the landing was tough to stick with the weights on him. Now, the difference between ankle and leg weights were that ankle weights were only placed around… well, near the feet. These weights however, were different.

Fifteen pounds were effectively strapped to the front of his thighs by a pair of weight shorts. They were black in color, contrasting perfectly with his yellow karategi. But these weren't for style. They were for increasing the resistance on his legs during the move. And oh yes, he could feel the weight as he kicked out.

Ken nodded and said, "How's it feel?"

Sean took in a deep breath and said, "It burns, stings, and is ten different kinds of ugly. I like it. So what's this supposed to do for my kick?"

Ken smiled and said, "It's supposed to make it a hell of a lot faster. The more speed you can put into this move before your ki dissipates, the more hits you can add to it. If someone jumps right into it without thinking, they'll get smacked, hard. Problem with this move is that it can be easily slipped under, so you have to use it properly."

Sean nodded and said, "I'll do that."

Ken raised an eyebrow and said, "That sounded a bit... weak." He shrugged and said, "You can't just say that you'll do something without knowing how and when to do it. It takes a lot of timing in order to land this move, especially the way you're using it." He walked over towards a few shelves that held supplies and pulled three wooden boards from them, each an inch thick.

"Let me give you an example." He faced Sean from where he stood and casually tossed all three into the air and slightly forward. As they were on their way down, Ken executed a Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku, and snapped the boards in two, one right after the other and in perfect alignment. Sean couldn't help but stare as Ken landed just two feet in front of him.

"Now, do you think you can be that accurate?"

Sean shook his head.

Ken shrugged, "Then don't just say 'I'll make sure to do that'. It makes you sound pretentious." Ken nodded and said, "Again, from the beginning."

Sean set his stance and leapt into the air, focusing his ki downwards through his vital points. He used his will to manipulate it and turn it into a miniature tornado, and once he got himself spinning, began his kicks. Mind you, this was done instantaneously, and all at the same time. It was the principle behind every variation of the Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku.

It was just that the weights made it harder to toss out kicks, and that the tornado would only last so long. It became increasingly difficult to do more than two kicks, and after a while, Sean could barely stand on his feet. 'Damn, he's really pushing me! How am I supposed to keep up?'

Ken clapped his hands and said, "All right, good! Break time." He placed a hand on Sean's right shoulder and said, "I sure hope I'm not dissuading you or anything. You've got heart, that's for sure. But guts and technique have to go hand in hand. Got that?"

Sean nodded and bowed. "Thanks. I appreciate the lessons you teach me."

* * *

For the first time this late in the evening, Sean trained in his own room, asking to take the weight vest and shorts with him. Before he went to bed, he did all his body weight exercises; squats, push-ups, lunges, pull-ups and chin ups on the bar that was installed in his walk-in closet (yes, there actually was one there from the first time he moved in), single-leg dead lifts; the whole nine yards.

In his opinion, if he didn't push himself as hard as Ken pushed him most of the time, he wouldn't get anywhere. For the most part, he was right. Twenty repetitions, three sets each, and he would more than likely be sore in the morning because of it all. And he still had a ways to go, too! 'I'll have to find myself something to eat tomorrow, preferably before training starts. I'm gonna need it.'

Of course, there was a computer in his room, and he had another important task before he headed to sleep. He didn't think that it would get any further than two or so paragraphs, since he was dead, stone cold tired, but he figured it was worth a shot. It wasn't long before he sat down in front of it and immediately began writing to his mother and father.

_Dear mom and dad,_

_I understand it's been a while since I've written anything to you, and I'm sorry about that. It's just that the past few weeks, heck, the past year, has been one big blur. Things have been moving so fast that I never had time to come visit, or anything like that! Still, I figure that if I could use this time to make up for it, then it'd be worth it. Don't get me wrong; I think of you guys and my sister every day, and just want to make you all proud._

_I'm training, and I mean really training, with Ken Masters now. And he's pushing me harder than anyone has ever done before, even grandpa! But seriously, I think it's gonna be worth it. I can already feel myself improving with each passing day. But don't worry; I still have my prospects for college. There are a few over here that want me for their basketball teams, and the scholarship I applied for went through like magic. While this might get in the way of anything else I have planned, Ken said that as long as I keep training, things will be all right._

_How's grandpa, by the way? Is he all right? I certainly hope he's still on his feet. Being out of contact for so long, I'm starting to get worried about his health now. If I'm mistaken, please ease my mind and let me know. I sure hope everything is still the way it was, though I wouldn't be surprised if things changed. It's been a year, after all._

_I still play basketball, I still play soccer, and I still love the martial arts. Those three things won't change at all, and I certainly hope they never do. I'm busy living my dreams at the moment, and I'm going to see them through to the end, no matter what. I promise I'll visit you guys someday, count on it!_

_With love,_

_Sean Matsuda_

And that was all he was capable of as he yawned. Sean sent the mail, began shutting down his computer, and slipped underneath the covers of his bed. He winced as his muscles complained something fierce, but informed his mind that it would all pass, hopefully in the next few hours. Oh, he hoped like nothing else, because if they hurt the next morning, it would not be pretty.

'Maybe he'll let me take a break… hopefully.'

He knew that hoping for something with a man like Ken was not a good thing to do. But who knew what would happen the next day? Every day was a new opportunity for something exciting or surprising, and he couldn't wait for it. But of course, sleep was more important than excitement, as was proven when he finally gave out, his body automatically shutting down.

At the very least, he had gotten the important issues out of the way. It was one less thing on his mind, now that he had written to his folks. It wasn't like he expected them to write back, but once again, one never knows what will happen until it does. So he would keep trying until something clicked, just like everything else he did.

* * *

While he slept, Ken stayed awake, monitoring his student's progress yet again. Charts and graphs were in front of him as his computer lit up his study, and he liked what he saw. Sure, Ryu didn't have as much prowess with technology, but he sure did. The result was that he could effectively keep track of just how much Sean was improving.

'This is better than I expected. Given a few more weeks of this, maybe a month or two, he could shape up to be something awesome. I just have to keep up the pace.'

But of course, he had to let the guy rest every once in a while. Otherwise his body would go on self-destruct mode. He figured that with what he saw before him, tomorrow would be a good day for the guy to get a bit of relaxation time in. Ken wondered if he could get himself a job or something to earn some cash. It wouldn't be that hard, given his credentials.

'Of course, he hasn't won a single tournament yet, so they aren't that much. But if he says he's being trained by me, things could get much more interesting.'

Ken would have to consider asking Sean to make his own way one of these days. But for now, he had to remember why exactly he was here training him. "Sometimes," he said with a sigh, "Life is no fun."

He wished that he could spend more time with Mel… Ken smiled when he thought about how much he saw him enjoying his training. At the very least, the kid was improving almost as well as Sean was. If Ken kept doing what he was doing, then things would get even better for his son.

'Maybe Eliza has a point. Sean should have a bit of fun with his training, no matter how hard I make it for him. Maybe I should give him a bit of incentive next time. Just not now,' he thought with a smirk. 'With what I'm seeing here, if I keep pushing him, he will more than likely improve in a really short time. It almost makes me wonder how hard Sakura is training.'

As he thought about Sakura, his mind turned to Karin as well. She had gotten him good last time, though he hadn't made it easy on her at all. He'd have to use all the tricks at his disposal next time if he wanted to win. With that said, it was up to him to train harder as well. Everyone needed improvement, and everyone could learn something.

Ken leaned back in his chair and folded his arms behind his head. 'I figure this is what the martial arts are all about. You keep on changing and growing, and every time you win or lose is an opportunity for learning. I can't wait to fight her again so I can show her what I'm fully capable of.'

He didn't know when the day would come, but when it did, he was certain that it'd be one of the best fights he would ever have.

* * *

**Round 17: **_**Crouching Tiger**_

Ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. This chapter is set and ready to go! Sorry it took so long for this one to get turned out; I figure I would take a bit of time to properly visualize this one. Hopefully I managed to add a bit of laughs in it. This is the end of Sean's induction into the story; we're going right back to Sakura's end of things in the next chapter.

Thanks for the encouragement, you guys. To me, reviews are really important, but you've reminded me that they're not everything. Sometimes, at the end of the day, it's the fact that people are reading it in the first place that matters. With that said, this second story arc is almost at an end. Only a few more chapters to go, and then the peaceful pattern of events will be broken…

…Or not. Who can say what's going to happen at this point? All I know is that I'm going to keep going until there's nowhere else to go. So let's go!

_We await your return, warrior._


	18. Hidden Dragon

_The one thing that never ceases to amaze me about life is that things don't always turn out the way you want them to._

_Various factors get in the way of one's goals and ambitions, if they have any at all, and sometimes things can't seem to get any better; in fact, they get worse. But even then, there's a silver lining in the fact that there's always another day. You might have a bad week, month, or even year, but every day is a chance to try and climb out of the rut that one has made for themselves._

_As for me, I've gotten lucky several times in my life. Sure, that luck will run away from me sometime, but I have to work hard when that time comes to get out of whatever dank, dark pit I've fallen into. No one's going to throw me a rope ladder or hand me a stick – I'm going to have to do it on my own. And that's fine with me._

_Now I'm not saying I'm a complete and total pragmatist without any sort of hope; I'm just trying to be realistic. Should the day come when no one else will save me, I'll turn from a damsel in distress to a heroine. Just you wait and see._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Today was an interesting day for Karin Kanzuki. For the first time, she was out in the forests with Ryu and Sakura, after having been convinced by her good friend and rival to watch them work. Sure their styles were different, but that did not mean that she couldn't watch. Of course, there was a reason she did not want to, but she kept it to herself and accepted the invitation.

She brought her hit bags with her, still filled with beans, and casually stood next to a tree, observing the drills and sparring. Of course, her analytical nature, nagging as it was, still saw exposed holes in Sakura's defenses, and as much as she wanted to call her on them, she could not. Besides, Ryu showed Sakura the gaps in her armor for her; apparently, they were ones that she had never noticed before.

Karin nodded without saying a word. Sakura had found herself a good teacher, sure enough. But the only teacher she had now was her sparring rounds with Sakura. It was the only way she could tell whether she was improving or not. Lesser opponents were not worth her time, or at least she thought so. No normal tournament would do, for either herself or her rival.

'And yet sooner or later, we're going to have to participate in a few. It'd be a wonderful example of how effective our styles are.' Not to mention it would get them paid big time, but that was a different story. Sakura could very well go professional, and Karin? Well, Karin had her work cut out for her as far as the Zaibatsu, what with sponsoring the now-very-popular Rainbow Mika and everything.

Karin smiled as she thought back to the first time they had met. She wanted to be like the Red Cyclone, Zangief, and had decided that she would travel the world in order to promote herself. It was a good idea, but she didn't really have any money for it. Of course, when Karin fought her, she saw her potential immediately, thanks to that same analytical nature that scanned Sakura and her moves.

So when she decided to sponsor the girl, she had no doubt in her mind that Mika would be a star. And look at her now; she was the current champion and tag team champion. Perhaps if someone else needed her help, she would watch and see what they were capable of, as she did with her first prospect. There had to be someone out there that needed it. Sooner or later, she would find them.

But right now, since there was no one around, she watched her rival work on her skills.

Speaking of Sakura, she was forced to block a solid Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku from Ryu with her right arm raised towards her head. The kick was stopped cold, forcing him to settle back onto the ground. Of course, he was suddenly sent reeling by Sakura's Shoryuken, the one that she had developed just a few nights ago.

Four times it connected, hitting as it traveled from the gut towards the head, and pretty soon, Ryu was sent flying. Righting himself in mid-air, he fired off a Hadouken, only to have Sakura move right underneath it with such speed that her body blurred slightly. But Ryu was prepared, and before he landed, he executed a Shinkuu Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku.

'Damn it! I can't stop…!'

Sakura was sent flying, her body whirling through the air before she landed on the ground, hard. She gritted her teeth as she rubbed the back of her neck. "_Itai_… That was a nice move! You caught me good with it."

Ryu walked over and extended a hand to help her up. "So do you want to learn it?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Sure thing!"

Though Ryu had made up his mind not to teach her his patented version of the move, he would teach her the basics and then have her modify it to her personal tastes and purposes. Hopefully, she wouldn't do anything too flashy with it. Sure, Ken's was effective, but it was a bit too impractical if it missed.

'Then again,' Ryu thought, 'most moves are impractical once they miss. If a high-risk technique connects, it turns into a high-reward technique. It'll be interesting to see how Sakura changes the Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku.'

Karin overheard the conversation and decided this was the point where she would excuse herself. "If you two will pardon me, I will head back towards the castle. I feel out of place here, watching instead of participating." She stood to leave when Ryu called out, "I don't think you would benefit from staying there by yourself. Not only is there nothing to do, but you'll be learning something important by watching."

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "And what is that?"

Ryu smiled and said, "That all three of these moves have an inherent blind spot; a weakness. If one uses them at the improper time, you can take advantage of the opening that's left. So stay a while- you might see something that anyone else might miss."

Karin paused for a moment, considering her options. The man did have a point, but if Sakura knew the style, she would know its weaknesses as well. It wouldn't help her out all that much, but… maybe she could glean something from observation. And her mind was made up when Sakura told her, "It's all right; I don't mind it at all. Besides, it'd make the next spar against you interesting!"

She smiled and said, "Well I suppose I could stay." She leaned back against the tree again and began idling her time away by hitting herself with that bean bag. She had been doing that for a while now mind you, but she knew she still had a way to go.

Ryu nodded and said, "Now that that's taken care of… let's get started. Take a seat, Sakura."

She did, with her back next to a nearby tree. Ryu lifted her right leg and felt for a point just behind the ball of her foot, pressing one finger not but a few centimeters in. "Feel that?"

Sakura nodded. "Is that the one?" She knew the drill by now. Ki could be channeled anywhere, and controlled and shaped by one's intent. It followed then that the stronger the will, the more control that one had over their ki. The mind controlled the energy, and thus the mental state of the one that used it was important.

Not surprisingly, she had found this out on her own. The more focus she put into a move, the more ki that went into it and the more potent it became. But sometimes a quick solution was needed, and thus she couldn't channel as much. She would have to find which time to use what move at what strength, and that was what made using them difficult in most scenarios.

But for now, she was learning one. She put all of her focus onto that one single fact and stood up. "So how does this one work?"

Ryu began to explain. "This one's not as difficult as the Shoryuken was, but it still takes a lot of effort to get done. You focus your energy through the points in your leg, but instead of storing them there, you keep on going towards that one single point on the foot, as if you were about to jump off. Once you do that, you begin shaping it into a small whirlwind. The effect is that you go upwards and the tornado carries you forward. Depending on how much ki you put into it, you'll go for a farther distance."

Sakura nodded and said, "Well sure, that's the theory. Bet it's harder in practice."

Her sensei shrugged and said, "It's only as hard as your mind makes it. You've learned most of these moves faster than I've ever seen before; you can probably learn this one with the same speed. Go ahead and try it out."

Sakura nodded and quickly brought her mind into the void, clearing it of all distractions. She willed her energy to move towards the soles of her feet, towards that very point that Ryu had described to her. Karin watched with a raised eyebrow – could this actually be possible? She hadn't really seen Sakura train before, so it would be interesting to watch.

It took less time than one would think, because within three seconds, Sakura slowly lifted off of the ground, her body entirely relaxed. Karin's eyes widened in amazement as what was only possible in movies and anime happened right before her eyes.

That didn't mean she could fly; that was impossible. But Karin was looking at a Sakura that was five inches off of the ground. Ryu nodded and said, "Okay, let it go."

Sakura gently landed on the balls of her feet, knees bent. She sighed and said, "Well then, what's next?"

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "Well the next step would usually be to practice this until you got it down, but I figure I could teach you. Jump as high as you can in the air and then do that same thing. If you do it right, you should be suspended in mid-air for a bit before your ki dissipates.

Karin shook her head and said, "That's crazy."

Ryu looked towards her and said, "Suspend your disbelief for a moment. You'll know what's real soon enough." He nodded towards Sakura and said, "Go ahead and try it."

Sakura focused her ki into her legs and suddenly launched upwards for a good ten feet. Of course, once the energy tapered out from her legs, she immediately channeled again, from the trigger points in her feet. Sure enough, to Karin's amazement, Sakura was suspended in mid-air at the apex of her jump.

"…Entirely unreal," she whispered.

Ryu smiled and said, "There's a catch to it. You can't do this right after a Shoryuken. The reason why is simple - one has to commit entirely to the upwards motion in both the leap and the striking fist, and rotate their body on the way down in order to prepare for the landing from such a height."

Karin nodded and said, "I see. What about the other way around?"

Ryu shrugged and said, "Depends on how fast you can channel your energy on the landing of the first move. And even then, that's only when one does the Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku from a standing position. One can't execute a Shoryuken in mid-air, at least not yet. I've been trying, but I've found it impossible."

He looked up towards Sakura and said, "Her ki should be tapering off right about now…"

And as he had expected it did. Sakura however was unfazed as she turned her body on her descent, gracefully landing on the balls of her feet before standing up and brushing the invisible dust off of the pants of her uniform. "All right, that was easy! So the next step is actually shaping the ki into a little tornado, right?"

Ryu nodded and said, "Right. But again, you have to do it at the same time you move your energy through your feet. The timing has to be exact or you won't get the desired effect."

Sakura nodded and executed the move, but this time she used her willpower to manipulate the energy before it left her body. Ryu nodded as Sakura's body turned through the air slowly, moving forward as it did so. She landed in an almost feather-light fashion and looked towards Ryu with a grin.

"All right," he said, "Now make it bigger. The bigger it is, the faster you'll turn. This is already a powerful move, but the more ki you put into the tornado, the faster you'll move."

Sakura nodded and set her face in a determined expression. She channeled, manipulated her ki, and then found herself whirling at a much faster rate than before; almost double time. She landed and slowly exhaled. "All right, I know the third part already! Can I try the whole thing out?"

Ryu shrugged and said, "Give it a shot."

Sakura set her feet, channeled her ki, and this time as the tornado was formed, stuck her right leg outwards. Karin could definitely mistake Sakura for someone in flight, because she looked like the rotor of a helicopter for several feet. When Sakura landed, she clenched her right fist and said, "All right, that was easy enough. Now for the air…"

Ryu smiled and folded his arms across his chest. She was learning without him doing anything but telling her how to do it. He had expected as much, and this time was less afraid and more proud. Though he wouldn't have taught anyone before now… now he was glad he had taken on a student, especially one with such promise as Sakura.

She leapt up and forwards without using her ki first, and then executed the move, this time in mid-air. She landed, executed the same move from standing position, and immediately went straight into a Shoryuken that wasn't quite full strength, but enough to make it seem as if she were rebounding and coming up for another attack. Ryu nodded and said, "There you go, start mixing it up."

Karin stared quietly. 'He's not even _teaching_ her anymore, he's just _guiding_ her. She practically learned a potentially complex move on her own, and in less than a day! Not only that, but the same combination that Ryu just mentioned to me, she pulled off without further assistance… she's incredible.'

Normally, this would have made anyone else jealous. For Karin, it made her blood heat up in the most saccharine way. She grinned and said, "I am going to have _such_ a good time fighting her."

Ryu looked towards her and noticed the look on her face. She looked exactly as Sakura did the first time she had met him. He smiled and said, "Well you'd better be ready for it. I might have the two of you spar again sometime to see if she knows how to actually work those moves."

Karin nodded and said, "No problem. I'll train harder than I ever have before. She will _not_ have an easy time defeating me next time around."

Sakura walked over to Ryu and said, "I think I've got it down. If I had known this was the way to do it, I'd have practiced it a long time ago. Hey, do you have something I could try it out on? I want to see how strong it is."

* * *

They headed back over towards the waterfall towards the rocky shore, and Ryu picked up a few smooth stones, each weighing three pounds. He considered this one a test as well, though he didn't tell Sakura about it. If she could crack these stones, she'd have successfully done the move.

The rotational force behind the Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku was much like a Muay Thai roundhouse. Done properly and with enough force, it could knock someone down in one hit and crack a rib, or cause a concussion in one blow. Done properly and with enough speed, it had the capacity to connect multiple times.

Ryu had a feeling that Sakura would opt for multiple hits due to her lack of size and mass, using technique instead of power. And yet, her Hadouken was powerful, able to reach out and ram into someone with the same capacity as his own.

'She's going to be good. She might even do well enough to defend herself against Gouki one day, just not any time soon. She needs something else, and that's a move that he won't expect. She needs to develop her own techniques, like the one she used against me.'

And that was entirely up to her.

"Get ready," he called out as he prepared to throw the stones.

Sakura set her stance and prepared to execute the move she had just learned. "Set!"

Ryu threw the rocks into the air and slightly forward. Sakura's reaction time kicked in as soon as they were thrown, and she leapt upwards to meet them. Utilizing the principle of the Tatsumaki, she whirled her right foot into the rocks… and a series of sharp cracks was heard as each of them shattered with the sheer speed and natural rotational force of her kick. One, two, and three all broke in succession, and she let herself fall to the ground again, landing on the balls of her feet and bending her knees to take the impact.

She stood and gave Ryu a thumbs-up. "That's all she wrote!"

Karin clapped politely, but she was genuinely impressed. Should anyone find themselves in mid-air and without a proper defense, they would suddenly be assailed by multiple kicks from a very devastating move before being forced back down to solid ground.

'I would not want to be the one in that position. I think she's just about ready to take on anyone… but she needs her own techniques.' Without knowing it, Karin had echoed the same thing that Ryu himself had thought only moments before. Perhaps great minds do think in similar fashion.

* * *

Karin's fists impacted into the heavy bag, one after another, as Sakura held it in place for her. She could feel the force of her fists… nay, her very _spirit_, penetrate into the bag for several inches. Feeling that made her understand that Karin was training herself just as hard as she was training her own self and it made her grin. "Come on Karin, two minutes left! Let's see some action!"

Karin did not let up at all, simply kept on the pressure. The black grappling gloves rammed time and time again into the bag, her energy transferring into the training tool as if she were fighting a real person. And to be honest, that's what she was doing, though her opponent was in her mind. It didn't necessarily have to be Sakura, though.

No, this time her target was Ken Masters. He was bigger than her; stronger, faster, with more mass and thus more power, with the same conditioning as his own rival, Ryu. She would have to land more than one punch, more than one kick, and with a greater degree of accuracy to targets. Because sooner or later, constant hits in the right place would mean a knockdown.

'There are so many opponents out there besides just Sakura… I must make my style proficient to the point where I'll be ready for all of them.'

"All right, time!" Sakura and Karin stepped away from the bag and bowed to each other. "Wow that was intense. Who were you trying to fight, me?"

Karin placed her hands on her hips and said, "If that were the case, I'd be actually trying to _hit_ you. And besides, it's none of your business who I was beating mercilessly in my own mind, just that he's down and out now."

Sakura shrugged and said, "Fine with me. Whatever gets you to improve, do it."

And then, they were called out for dinner. It was Ryu's turn to cook. Sakura and Karin had eaten his meals before, and they were quite tasty. Since he had been on the road for so long, one would expect him to have learned a few survival skills. Apparently, cooking was one of them.

"So what now," Sakura asked as they ate over the camp fire. "Any idea when we'll be heading out?"

Ryu shook his head and said, "We'll head out when we're good and set to do so. I doubt it'll be any time soon. You've got a lot of work ahead of you. If nothing deters us though, we should be leaving by the end of the month."

Karin frowned slightly and said, "Well, One would think that Sakura has all she needs these days to defend herself. Why not leave earlier?"

Ryu sighed and said, "Because I can't effectively track Gouki. If we moved, _he_ could tell, and he would immediately come after _us_. If he moved anywhere, I would rather it be here than on the road. I know the terrain as well as he does, and it remains an even fight if we're on even ground." He looked towards Sakura and said, "If he comes early, you are to run towards the location I told you about and stay there until I come to get you. That goes for you too, Karin."

Karin folded her arms in front of her chest and said, "Well I bet we could take him if we worked together; watched each other's backs."

Ryu shook his head. "No. He'll kill both of you just for challenging him. _Neither_ of you are ready; trust me. I'm the only one that can take him on. Promise me that you two will stick with the plan, all right?"

Karin sighed and said reluctantly, "Understood. We'll head towards the designated area."

Sakura was silent for the brief argument, lost in her own thoughts. She knew how dangerous Gouki was; the first time she sensed him, it became painfully obvious. If Karin did something reckless, it would be up to her to protect them both. They were friends, right? And friends had to look after each other. So if Ryu by any chance lost, it would be up to her to escape.

'That won't happen, because Ryu will drive him off or fight him to a standstill. He always does that.'

She knew she was being childish. But Ryu was her hero; someone that she looked up to even as she improved in his fighting style. He wouldn't die. If he died, what would she do? Where would she go next; who would she turn to for inspiration? No, he _couldn't_ die just yet. She had to believe that he would make it through.

Because the more she believed, the more it was made real. It had been proven already, several times over the course of nearly two months. She had to keep on believing!

Ryu shrugged and said, "But that's only a what-if scenario. If Sakura makes at least one more new move before the end of the month, then we'll pack our bags and head out to China. If not, we're staying here for the rest of the month, maybe a few more days to make sure he's not coming, then we head out."

Sakura nodded without thinking. Sure, her ears heard it, and it was a good plan, but she was making one of her own. She believed in him like nothing else, just as he believed in her. But just in case something happened, she would have to step up. In her mind's eye, she was thinking of a way to do just that.

* * *

Once again, before she headed for bed, she wrote a letter to Kei.

_Dear Kei,_

_I know it's been a while since I wrote, but things have gone entirely crazy! Training's harder, more intense, and more fun than ever. I think that I'll show you another picture of Ryu sometime to give you a bit of a closer look at him. For now, I've got one for you that I took of my favorite training spot! There's this big lake with a huge waterfall that dumps into it, and it's all sorts of awesome for the whole mental thing._

_But what I really like about it is the fact that there's a cave behind it. It sounds like a perfect place for a kid to hide out or build a fort, or something like that. I almost wanted to do that myself, but I usually use it for meditation. The sound of the water helps me clear the thoughts from my head. You should try it sometime – it's an experience that is hard to duplicate._

_So how's Akio? Did I scare him good with my last letter? You really should tell him I was joking, if the message hadn't gotten through already. I love teasing him about how badly I'm gonna hurt him if he ever breaks your heart. But hey, if he does, then I'll really be forced to do it. Don't let him walk all over you, you hear me?_

_So did the people at the arena get Karin's letter? I sure hope they did. I don't want them to be too worried about me. I mean, if they know I'm taking a training journey to improve my skills, then that'll be enough reason for them to await my triumphant return. And trust me; it'll be triumphant to a certain extent, because I can feel myself getting better with each passing day. You should see what I can do now; it's amazing!_

_Of course, I'm not just going to tell you; you'll have to see for yourself._

_I can't wait for your reply!_

_Your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

* * *

**Round 18: **_**Hidden Dragon**_

You guys knew that was coming.

Seriously though, thanks for sticking by this story. Even now, I write story outlines for my big epics, fleshing out stories and characters in new and original ways. But for now, it's time for this chapter to be added to this specific pile that's just growing larger with alarming speed. Typing up four to six thousand words each chapter is a great idea; I don't know why I didn't use this tactic before.

Maybe I wanted to just get all of my creative stuff out there at once, so I wrote in bigger blocks. I don't know.

Stay tuned; there's more where this came from.

_Into the heat of battle… Go for it!_


	19. Radiance

_You know, I didn't really know you could put different properties on a Hadouken. It's interesting to see how much one can do with a simple move like that. Today, I saw Ryu put so much ki into his surge that he lit it on fire. It amazed me to actually see a sphere of flames heading through the air like that, and I wanted to do it myself._

_But of course, we're not leaving until I make my own move, so it's going to have to be something that no one's tried before, something of my own design. I don't know what exactly I'll think of, but it'll be interesting enough to watch. Ryu says that you can't just pick an element to use – it has to come from within or from some higher power._

_I don't know what's within me just yet, but now is a good enough time to find out._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Sakura was in her cave behind the pounding waterfalls, slowly and carefully performing a ki exercise that Ryu had taught her days before. It helped her move her energy through the pathways that ran through her body and it aided in her movements of any kind. They didn't even have to be related to fighting.

She wasn't wearing her karate uniform, but something a bit more casual in the form of a tube top, lavender in color, and a pair of white satin pants that stopped at mid-calf, showing off just a fraction of her powerful, toned legs. A pair of sandals adorned her feet to complete the picture of a normal woman performing abnormally graceful movements.

Sakura's eyes were half-lidded in an almost sleepy fashion, and yet one could tell that she was aware of every inch of her surroundings. That was, if one was paying attention. For anyone else, it appeared as if she were about to doze off. But as stated before, Sakura had the unique ability of relaxing her entire body at will, something that most could not do during a fight.

And besides, those that could sense auras knew perfectly well that she was hard at work. A gentle outpouring of ki came from every movement she made with her hands and every slow kick she made with her feet. Performed at full speed, these moves would probably send a visceral shockwave through whatever they hit, even without the full application of the Hadou principle.

But that wasn't her aim today. Sakura's goal was to find something else in her; to bring out even more of her inner strength and find something beyond just her ki. There had to be another trick up her sleeve that she hadn't looked at yet, and so she attempted, through the exercises, to find what that was.

'Where is it? Where is my secret? I know it's there; everyone's got one somewhere. So where is mine…?'

And yet, she could feel nothing but the flow of ki as it gently passed through her, in one way and out the other. Still, she was confident that it would come sooner or later; simply not at the moment. So she continued performing the slow, graceful exercises, no longer expecting anything from them besides what she normally felt.

But by the end of the set, she didn't feel like she had achieved anything besides retaining her clarity of mind throughout the entire form. She shook her hands and arms out and began walking out from the cave, heading towards the lake shore. As she walked back down the rocky path, she wondered what it would take for her to draw her special trait out.

'Maybe there just needs to be more ki put into the surge? It can't be that hard if that's all it's going to take.'

She didn't think so, but it would be worth a shot. She would have to start with both hands, however, since doing it one-handed was not in the cards just yet. Sure, she could execute a normal Hadouken with a single hand, no problem. This one however, would have to require two, since the concentration on the hands would have to be much higher.

An idea was already forming in her head of how to do it… she just needed to do it.

Sakura ended up running towards the rocky shore, her excitement building as she thought about how to perform the move. It wouldn't take all that long to do if she did it right. Besides, she was starting to discover that the Hadouken did not require as much ki as she thought it did. The more she used it, the easier it became to execute and the finer control she had over her energy.

'I hope this works…'

Sakura took a brief moment to quiet her thoughts before settling into stance. She felt the energy flowing through her, gently and swiftly. She willed it towards her hands, and instantaneously, the surge manifested between her palms. And then, she channeled even more into it, attempting to make it even more potent.

She took that step forward, driving her rear leg backwards into the ground and driving her hands forward with the same speed as the standard move. "**Hadouken**," she shouted, and as the surge shot forward like an artillery shell, her eyes widened as she saw what occurred.

'What's all this?'

The surge had changed color, from blue to white. And yet it wasn't on fire, it wasn't doing any burning; it was simply a different color. She had to narrow her eyes as she looked at it though, because the light that shone from the surge was intense…

Her mind immediately clicked everything into place. That was it.

Sakura grinned. "I have to try this out on something that has resistance."

She looked around for a suitable target, and spotted a quite large rock nearby. She walked towards it, stopped all of ten meters away, and charged up. This time, she attempted to do it faster, placing more energy into her attack as soon as she felt it form. She fired… and watched as the high-gauge surge of ki shot towards the stone.

The expected effect occurred as it slammed home. And yet it was nothing like Sakura had expected at all; the Hadouken connected once, twice, three times, eating halfway through the massive rock before it tapered out. Sakura clenched her right fist and said, "Easier than I thought! If only things were this simple for everything."

She began practicing the new move over and over again; attempting to measure exactly how much energy she would need to add before the surge changed color. She didn't want to add too much, or the move would just plain tear through her opponent, and she didn't want to kill anyone. But if someone were being stubborn about staying down, she could always use the technique to convince them they needed to stay where they were.

Now all she needed was a name for it, something that would be a proper and fitting title for it. It wouldn't be big and winding… that would be too dramatic. It had to be simple, just a little add-on. The light was so bright it could force the eyes of whomever it was coming towards to shut tight, and could be a real asset when it came to a fight.

She thought about that for a moment, and then snapped her fingers. "There we go!"

She set her stance, focused her ki, and instead of shouting out the name of the attack… she cried out, "**Keizen**!"

It is said that simply shouting the name of the attack, or shouting period, adds more force to the blow. With that in mind, just saying the name of her new addition to the Hadouken made it travel a lot faster. She grinned as the ki attack travelled to its maximum range and then faded.

"There it is… _Keizen Hadouken_!" Her new move was the Radiant Surge Fist. But she had a feeling that wouldn't be all that she needed… no, she would have to push herself even further. Still, she had a new staple to her arsenal, and she would use it to its full extent. Sakura began folded her arms for a moment, considering what else she would need in order to impress Ryu.

'That's basically what I'm trying to do; impress him so that we can get going.'

Then, an idea popped up in her head that made her giggle. "Oh, that's _exactly_ what I need."

A plan began to formulate…

* * *

Karin had stopped using the bag for once and asked Ryu if he could help her with her training. When asked in what way, she said firmly, "Treat me as you do Sakura. I need to stop being so damned afraid of such hard training if I want to match up to her in a fight."

Ryu shrugged and said, "If you say so. Personally, I think you were doing a good job with the bags, but if you want my kind of conditioning as well, so be it. As a matter of fact, the two of them could work in tandem if you want. Just remember, there won't be as much time for it on the road, so you'll have to resort back to your old method again."

Karin nodded and said, "And what about Sakura?"

Ryu smiled and said, "I could give her a few bags of her own and have her work as you are with them, but by the end of this month, she should be one level higher than you are."

Karin grimaced and said, "Hitting yourself with stones… I know you're not supposed to swing that hard, but it still sounds daunting."

Ryu shrugged and said, "You have to do strange things to improve sometimes. Are you sure you want me to start beating on you? It's not going to be pretty."

Karin set her face in a determined scowl and said, "If she can take it, so can I. Hit me."

Ryu nodded and told her to get into parallel stance. She did so and lifted her arms as she had seen Sakura doing. Ryu said, "Breathe in deep, and take a controlled exhale. Keep your stance at all times. If you slip, get right back into it. I'm not going to hit you deep, but it is still going to hurt. Understand?"

She nodded and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and attempting to empty her mind. The exhale came… and her attempts to enter into emptiness were shattered as Ryu began delivering open-handed strikes to her shoulders, upper back, and sides. Each strike sent a ripple of energy through her that would have damaged something inside of her if used at full strength.

Yes, it hurt.

"Breathe in and focus," he said as he finished the first round. She did as she was told. On the second exhale, she felt the same thing happen to her stomach and chest. She wasn't wearing any sort of defensive gear, she just got smacked around. Her breathing was interrupted as she clenched her teeth and took the hits. One particular punch made her stumble backwards out of her stance.

'Damn it, it's hard not to try and hit him back!'

"Back into stance; breathe." She stepped forward again, took her stance, and breathed in deep. Another exhale and Ryu began smacking her legs this time with open hand strikes, a few of them landing on that sweet spot four inches above the knee, on either thigh. Oh, that was especially cruel to her. Her legs began to feel like jelly after just one of those.

'I have to take it,' she thought to herself. 'I need to catch up, soon. Otherwise, she'll eclipse me entirely.'

With that sheer force of will, she withstood the next barrage, this time to her forearms. And Ryu did not simply strike near the elbows. Bone met bone as well as flesh, and her forearms stung like nothing else. This whole cycle repeated several times with her stumbling out of her stance in several instances before Ryu said, "Time, relax. Are you all right?"

Karin smile wryly and said, "I'll live. I can't believe you two could survive all this."

Ryu chuckled and said, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"That," Karin added, "Or it will try harder the next time."

They both laughed as Karin sat down and rested. She knew this was just the beginning. Ryu would probably work her at least two more times before the day was over, but she would learn how to take a punch. Her body would remember, and once it remembered, she didn't have to.

* * *

By the time Sakura came back that evening, it was dinner time. But before they ate, Sakura remained standing, causing Ryu and Karin to look up at her quizzically. "I think I have my new move."

Karin's eyes widened. "You're joking."

Sakura shrugged and said, "I don't know if it'll be enough, but I've got something. I just figured it out today, really. I'd…" she dug the toe of her right shoe into the dirt. For some reason or other, she felt nervous. If this actually worked, they'd be on their way. If not, they'd be here for the rest of the month.

Ryu stood and stepped a few feet away from the campfire. Then he turned and set his stance. "Well if you have a new move already, there's only one way to try it out. Don't worry; you won't be able to hit me with it, and I won't retaliate. Just go ahead and throw it out."

Sakura's face became solemn as she bowed. "I'll do my best."

Without warning, she quickly got into stance and began channeling her ki. Ryu immediately prepared himself, somewhat impressed at the sudden speed of her preparation. What he didn't expect was the surge in her hands to begin changing color. The white light that her ki radiated at that very moment was not just for show… he could sense it.

'This is… She's made her Hadouken even stronger!'

Karin had to squint her eyes just a bit as the light forcefully entered them. "Such power…"

And with a step forward and an instantaneous thrust of her palms, she shouted something different. "**Keizen**!"

Ryu grimaced as a much higher-gauge surge of ki headed towards him than her standard move. It reminded him of his own _Shakunetsu Hadouken_. The light coming towards him was of such intensity that he had to shut his eyes against it, reflexively putting his forearms up to absorb the blow.

He felt more than one impact and slid back a few inches as the surge rammed into his defense. All of three hits connected before the surge dissipated, but with such pressure to fight against, the sudden loss of it made him stumble backwards afterwards.

Ryu huffed and called out, "That's one mean Hadouken! I'm glad I blocked it in time. What did you call it again?"

Sakura smiled and said, "Keizen Hadouken. I think it's a proper name for it, but if it's too cheesy I could always change it…"

Karin shook her head and said, "I think it's appropriate. That attack definitely glows, sure enough. You could stop someone cold with that one, given that they aren't ready for it. If they happen to get caught in mid-air by it or in the middle of a move, it's almost guaranteed." She said this more to herself than to Sakura.

Ryu nodded as he sat next to the fire again. "Mmm… it reminds me of when I light my surge on fire, only that I'm careful not to burn anything. But with the way you moved, I think you've been working on how to do this for the past few days or so, even before I said anything about the next destination."

Sakura rubbed her hands together and said, "So did I pass? Do we get to leave for China?"

Ryu paused for a moment, remembering what he said about her learning a new move. It appeared that he had to make good on it now… but they'd need time to make plans and everything. They couldn't just stand up and start moving.

Karin decided to give her two cents. "If you're worried about plans, don't. _I'll_ make them. You're forgetting that I'm much like Ken; I have enough money to go anywhere I want. Two more people along for the ride won't change that. The only thing I'm concerned about is you keeping your promise."

Ryu sighed and said, "All right, we're leaving tomorrow as soon as we're ready. If we're going to do this, we have to pack up tonight. Make sure you have everything before we head out. Karin, do you have any way to get us to the airport quickly?"

She ran a hand through her hair and said, "Are you kidding? I can get us there in less than two hours. Like I said, leave the arrangements to me."

Ryu nodded and said, "Then let's get this done." He smiled towards Sakura and said, "Well done. You're on your way to making this your own style."

Sakura grinned and said, "It's all thanks to you that I could get this far! I hope I can learn even more from you in the future."

Ryu shrugged and said, "You never know what's going to happen in the future, really. But I will keep training you for as long as I can, that's for sure. When you're ready, you won't have to think about it; you'll know when the time comes." Ryu nodded and said, "Let's have our last dinner at this place, and then get a good night's rest. We're gonna need it."

* * *

Sakura could not sleep for being so excited. It was time to finally get their tour underway! She had to tell someone about this, mainly a certain friend of hers.

_Dear Kei,_

_Well, after about one month and ten days, our time at Suzaku Castle has come to an end. It's almost been a whole two months here, and I feel I've made a lot of progress! But it's only starting; from here, it's going to be a long, long journey. I promise to keep you updated as time goes by._

_Karin said that she would handle the arrangements. That means the trip to the airport, the tickets, the hotel when we get to China, everything. Yeah, I said China! The birthplace of the martial arts! I can't wait to see the Shaolin Temple and the Great Wall with my own two eyes. But first, we're stopping at Hong Kong to meet one of Ryu's friends. I didn't know he had any besides Ken and me, and maybe Sagat._

_I never did tell you that I met and fought with the Muay Thai Emperor. Back then, I was only a kid who wanted to fight, but he was a real champion. And he proved it; I got beat down hard. My ribs complained for a week from just one of his knees, and my legs were sore from those kicks of his. He was so strong; I wonder if he's still in top shape?_

_I want to find out someday._

_Anyways, are you guys all right? I know I haven't been checking in as often as I promised, but things have been getting even crazier. I learned a new move today; yeah, just today. I'd tell you about it, but I want to keep it a secret for now. Suffice it to say that the move I learned was enough to convince Ryu that we could start going on the road. I didn't think I could do that, but here we are, leaving Japan._

_It's strange, but I don't feel sad at all about going away from my native land. Heck, I've done it so many times now that I've lost count. But a small part of me will always be here, and that part will remember you guys for as long as it can. I'll write to you even more now, just so you can keep track of my location. Don't worry about internet access; thanks to Karin, I can get that anywhere I want._

_I might tell you how someday; it's pretty impressive!_

_Okay, enough. I really have to get to sleep, or I'm gonna be worn out tomorrow! I'll e-mail you again when we get the time for our flight and let you know when I'm back on the ground. Okay? Take care of Akio and make sure he doesn't step out of line. Tell Seiji and Daisuke that they're still dorks, but I love 'em lots._

_See you in China,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

She sent the mail and prepared to drift off to sleep, thoughts of the first stop on their journey dancing in her head. She absolutely could not wait to learn something exciting. Maybe she'd even pick up a bit of Chinese while they were there! She giggled as she imagined a few phrases in her head… but she couldn't quite say them yet.

So as she attempted to sleep, she didn't even bother with it. She'd try when they touched down again, whenever that was. There were several other things to worry about as well, but those worries were brushed aside by the immediate need for sleep.

* * *

The Himalaya Range posed a formidable wall between India and China. The treacherous passes and bone-chilling winds have been a natural barrier for centuries. It has defended against both man and nature, though men have sought to defy its massive peaks and life-threatening conditions. Few have triumphed.

One was doing more than being triumphant… he was kicking its ass.

A Buddhist temple, now ruined from its once glorious state, was currently being decimated even further by blasts of energy, the size of which had been unseen in any part of the world. A mingling of a dark purple and deep blood red, the ki was violent and had enough power in just one dose to level a cliff side. At full power, it was able to part the oceans and tear through the air, superheating it to the point where it became lethal.

Wearing nothing but a black karategi and a pair of sandals, the red-haired demon unleashed but a fraction of his force, defiling the sacred ruins in his quest to train himself. It was not for self-improvement or any journey of the soul, but for the sake of sheer, limitless force. He was power made flesh; a man that believed that the weak should not have the right to breathe the same air that he did.

And yet, he did not actively seek battle. It would be pointless to do so. The fight in China had simply happened upon chance; a random act of self-defense. If they died in the process, it was their own fault. They underestimated him, and paid for it. He felt that it was much more satisfying to be challenged and win in such a manner. The winner was given the gift of life; the loser, the finality of death.

Such was his life. A mere street fight was beyond him.

But what he sensed from several countries away made him stop what he was doing, his senses locking onto the source of the massive, powerful spike of energy. Frozen in his tracks, he could almost smell the strength of the one who had used the technique.

The man was impressed when he finally found who had done such a thing.

'She is improving by leaps and bounds. I have never felt such a strong use of Hadou before, not since my eternal foe.'

He stood and rolled his shoulders, twisted his neck this way and that. Several pops were heard as his joints loosened. As soon as he finished, the man turned towards the direction of the energy spike he had sensed and began moving, one slow step at a time.

'At last, it is time to show her the true way. Ryu will not be an obstacle; should he stand in my path, this time I will crush him once and for all. That goes for anyone else before me.'

By the time he had reached the entrance, Gouki blurred out of existence, moving with such speed that the human eye could not trace him. He was on his way to retrieve his… first and only student.

* * *

**Chapter 19: **_**Radiance**_

Well, here we go. The peace has been shattered, and the worst case scenario is about to come alive. The only question is when will it happen? Where and how? What does Gouki plan on doing when he finally gets a hold of our Ansatsuken prodigy? And who will be able to stand in the way of a demon that finally has a mission?

It's about to go down with a throw down. Stay tuned, because the battle could happen at any time!

Thanks to all my readers for sticking by me this entire time. So far you guys have made this story possible. Keep on watching for more action, more suspense, more fights, and more of Sakura. It's on!

_Yeah, I've been waiting for this!_


	20. Endless Sky

__

It's my belief that one should expand their horizons to more than just one area of the planet.

_It's not just any sort of idealistic, hippie thing. It really is a valuable experience, learning about other people, other cultures; other races. If one understands the good and bad in everything and everyone, they can deal with people better. And the sooner that happens, the less one has to go into battle. No one taught me that more than my teacher, who has absolutely no hatred for those he comes into contact with, no matter what they do or say to him._

_Those who he knows and has run into multiple times, he understands and can reason with before anything serious happens. He avoided battle by winning before a single strike is even thrown, and when he did fight, it was on his terms and in a friendly spar._

-Excerpt from "Surge of the Soul: Journeys with the Master"

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

"Is everything ready, Ishizaki?"

This was Karin on her cell phone, after receiving word a few days ago that her confidant and head servant had returned to work. She was glad that he had such good timing, because they were about to begin the first leg of their trip. And boy was it going to be a nice, hard trip. Their first order of business was getting to the airport on time, and that meant that the helo that she had asked for had to be at Suzaku Castle on schedule.

"Of course, Miss Karin, the ETA of your transportation is about half an hour. The satellite is positioned at the coordinates you requested as well, though I doubt you won't have any trouble with network access at the hotel you'll be staying in."

Karin scoffed and said, "Why use all that, when mine is faster and I can use it for free? Besides, I'm not doing this for me." She shook her head and said, "Have the pilot call me as soon as he touches down. We'll be heading towards the landing zone as soon as we're finished here."

"I understand," Ishizaki said calmly. "Will there be anything else?"

Karin smiled and said, "Not for the moment. Forgive me for relying so much on you."

On the other end of the line, Ishizaki smiled. "Miss Karin, I will tell you this as many times as I need to. I am here to be relied on; to do the things that you yourself cannot. Please use my services to their full extent. I am certain you will need them. Don't worry about me, I've had my vacation."

Karin smirked and said, "Then don't go taking another one on me now, Ishizaki, unless I say you can." She was sure he would get the joke. "And thank you for everything."

Karin hung up and looked behind her towards Ryu. She noticed that he looked sharp in his blue jeans with nothing but a black shirt and a denim jacket, a pair of hiking boots on his feet and the bandanna gone from his forehead. His personal training gear and everything else was in the bag he usually carried around, as if that were all he needed.

She herself wore a dark blue silk blouse with a black skirt that stopped at mid thigh, revealing toned legs that would make a man want to pass out from a single look. The phrase 'died and gone to heaven' applies here, of course. A stylish pair of black shoes completed the picture, as well as a pair of diamond stud earrings.

Of course, it was no surprise that she could still fight in this getup if she had to.

"Is she ready yet?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "If not, she's got half an hour to _be_ ready."

Ryu looked back towards the forest and said, "No, not yet. I told her she could take her time, but she is taking too much, even for my tastes." He sighed and said, "Honestly, it shouldn't take this long to say goodbye…"

Karin smiled to herself and said, "To be honest, I think it should. You should go get her though and let her know it's almost time to leave."

Ryu nodded and said, "I'll do that. You should get going towards the meeting place. Better that at least one of us is early!" With that, he jogged away, leaving Karin to take care of the business end of things. "Following you around," she said to herself, "Is going to be enlightening. I can't wait."

And where was Sakura exactly? She was sitting quietly on her knees at Gouken's headstone, hands on the front of her thighs and eyes closed. Wearing a pair of light blue jeans and the shirt with the pair of wings on it, she appeared to have been here since the early morning, bringing a bucket of water towards the grave site and cleaning the dirt off of the headstone before sitting down and beginning to meditate.

She called it saying goodbye. Indeed, it would probably be a while before they headed back here again, so she figured she would spend some time with the old master. No thoughts passed through her head as she breathed deeply, simply taking in the sounds and smells around her. It was calm here; she almost did not want to leave.

But soon, she could sense Ryu coming up the path, and knew it was time to go. She clapped her hands, bowed towards the headstone, and said, "Here I go. Watch over me!"

With that, she stood, backpack at the ready, and turned to face her approaching teacher. "I see you're finally ready to go," he said with a nod. "Did you get to have a good talk with him?"

Sakura smiled and said, "Yeah. I think I'm gonna miss him the most."

Ryu smiled and said, "I miss him every day. He's the man I look up to the most." Placing a hand on Sakura's right shoulder, he said, "Come on, let's head for our ride. It'll be here any minute."

Taking one last look behind her, Sakura followed Ryu back towards the castle. "So what's this friend of yours like, anyway? Is she any good at fighting?"

Ryu chuckled and replied, "She isn't just good. Like I told you, she knows multiple forms of kung fu, to the point where her kicking techniques can hit before the opponent has a chance to finish moving. She's concentrated her power almost entirely in her legs, though she can hit like a freight train with those strikes of hers as well. And just like us, she can use her ki to attack as well."

Sakura rubbed her hands together and said, "Can't wait to meet her! So what does she do for a living?"

Ryu placed a hand on his chin and said, "Well the last I checked, she had the rank of Chief Inspector in the ICPO's Hong Kong branch. I don't know if she's gone up the ladder or not, but she's probably done well for herself."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Holy crap, she's a _super cop_?" She grinned and said, "Now I _really_ can't wait to meet her!"

Ryu raised an eyebrow and said, "You can be really odd at times." He shook his head and said, "But I guess you could call her that. After all, she took down an international crime syndicate almost single-handedly."

Sakura grimaced and said, "Shadaloo, right? I remember that Bison guy… he wasn't exactly the kind of person you'd want to run into from a day to day basis."

Ryu nodded. "She managed to finish him off after the second World Warrior tournament ended. I think that, at the very least, would have earned her some points with her higher-ups." He smiled and added, "I would like to think she still trains hard every day. The more I think about it, the more I want to challenge her again."

Sakura grinned and said, "Oh, me too. I want to see what she's capable of!"

Ryu looked at her for a moment, thinking about his options. Then he said, "Would you like for her to teach you a move? I could probably arrange it, if you want."

Her eyes widened. "Are you serious!? I mean, could you really do that?"

Her master shrugged and said, "If it's a favor for a friend, she would probably do it, if she weren't too busy with other things."

Speaking of other things, Ryu wondered if Chun-Li were investigating that murder in the alleyway even as they got ready to head towards China. If she were, his plans would go off without a hitch. If not, that would spell a whole lot of hoops to jump through. He simply didn't have time for it.

'Depending on what kind of response I get, we'll have to move quicker than expected. I just hope someone's alerted her to it by now.'

Sakura looked towards Ryu and noticed that he was brooding again. She didn't want to disturb him, so she walked on in silence, wondering what had changed about China from the last time she was there. Twice now, she had traveled the world to find Ryu, and now this third time she was travelling alongside him. What had happened since the last time she had been overseas?

She couldn't wait to find out. The excitement began to build as they headed towards their transportation that would eventually lead towards the airport.

"Karin," she shouted as she ran towards her, "We're set to head out!"

She then noticed the helicopter that was landing and slowed down for a moment, looking at it in wonder. "Wow… we're traveling in style, huh?"

Karin ran a hand through her blond locks and said, "There's no other way to do it, for me or my friends. Let's go; we don't want to be late for our flight. I suggest you enjoy the view of downtown Tokyo while it lasts; we may not get another chance for a while."

She quickly reached into her backpack and pulled out her digital camera, snapping a picture of the helo. Karin smirked, watching her excited rival with amusement. "All right, let's get going," the brunette said cheerily as she marched towards their ride. "I've never been in one of these before!"

Karin looked towards Ryu and said, "You certainly have your hands full with her."

Ryu grinned and said, "Well it hasn't been bad so far! Let's get moving; we have to stay one step ahead of Gouki."

Karin nodded and climbed in behind her companions. "Let's move out."

* * *

Sakura had been to Narita Airport before, and every time she went, there was a feeling of excitement. She never stopped being amazed at how big the planes were; the engines, the wings, the tires. It was easily distracting from the reason why she was flying in the first place, especially the feeling of going somewhere she had never been before.

Or at least, it used to be.

Now, she had her goal clearly in mind; to meet this woman and learn something new from her, even if it were only one move. Not to mention visiting the places that made China so great in the first place. The only place she hadn't been to yet that really interested her was the Shaolin Temple. She'd seen the Great Wall twice now, but could always stand for another visit. And then there was the exciting city of Beijing, which she definitely hoped to be visiting during their stay.

But of course, all that would have to wait. They had business to take care of.

The three of them boarded the plane (first class, of course), and Sakura couldn't help but feel anxious to get things underway. She knew that they were more than likely being tracked by Gouki, according to Ryu, and certainly going to be watched closely from this point forward. She wondered if he was capable of intercepting them in mid-air, and then shook her head.

'I doubt even he can make such a thing possible; at least, not yet.'

With that in mind, she heard how long their flight would take, and decided that it would be a good time for a nap. Well, she would have if she could sleep. Right now, she was busy staring out of the window that she sat next to, waiting for the rush of the runway and the view of open sky and clouds. It was a real shame that she could not use her camera at the moment.

Karin had already reserved a room at the four-star hotel they would be staying at for two weeks, and had enough to reserve one more, in case they would need it. With the satellite placed directly over the location of said hotel, it wouldn't be difficult to start getting messages out where they needed to go.

She had been to China once as well, chasing after Sakura. This time she would simply be there for fun. To be honest though, it wouldn't all be fun. But hey, that was life. So she sat back in her seat and looked to her right. Ryu had his eyes closed and his hands in his lap, and for a moment, she thought he was sleeping.

But then she thought twice about that. 'He's probably after us,' she thought, unconsciously mirroring Sakura, 'And he's trying to track him while he tracks us. But if Gouki can mask his ki while he moves, that's not going to be possible. He's going to have to make a mistake or get challenged to a fight sometime along the way.'

Then again, Ryu probably knew this, and was waiting for his opponent to slip up.

'It's as if they're playing this big game of chess,' she realized, 'and the whole world is their board.'

She tried to touch his right shoulder, only to pull away as she suddenly felt the air around him. It was the first time she had experienced such a concentrated energy. She might not have been able to sense ki, but she certainly could feel it up close. 'Insane… he's really putting a lot of effort into this!'

She looked towards Sakura and considered just how important her rival was in the grand scheme of things. Oh, but this was a grand scheme indeed. If what Ryu said about Gouki was accurate and he got his hands on her, the world would bear witness to a monster that dwarfed him in power. Karin did not have a good feeling about what was going on.

'If it comes down to it, I may have to protect her not just from the man who is after us, but herself as well.'

So be it. She would take that responsibility.

The grave seriousness of the moment was broken when Sakura said excitedly, "We're moving!"

Karin did indeed notice that the engines were coming to life, and sighed to herself. "So we are. You ready?"

Sakura turned towards Karin and grinned widely. It was a look that was so energetic and cheery that it made Karin laugh in spite of things. "You bet! I love China!"

Karin nodded and said, "It's beautiful there, I have to admit. And the bigger cities are really exciting. Maybe we could get ourselves some new additions to our wardrobe while we're there. Don't worry about paying for anything," Karin said before Sakura could interject, "I'll take care of it."

Sakura lowered her head slightly and said, "You shouldn't have to do all this for me. I'll find a way to take care of myself one day; I've done it before."

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "Is that so? And how are you going to do that when we can't stay in one fixed position for too long?" She placed a hand on Sakura's left shoulder and said, "Let me take care of the money issues. You just focus on your training, and let me come along for the ride. That's all I want."

Sakura smiled and said, "Thanks. I promise not to be too big of a burden."

As the plane lifted off of the ground, Karin wondered if Sakura knew how much of a burden she was already, and without even doing anything. But rather than be angry at her, she had a twinge of pity for her rival. 'She doesn't know yet how important she is, just that someone very bad is after her. We have to do everything we can to keep that monster away from her.'

Karin looked ahead of her and closed her eyes, attempting to get some more rest. She believed that she would need all the energy she could get.

* * *

Both Sakura and Karin were asleep by the time Ryu had opened his eyes again. He couldn't sense Gouki's ki any better from the air than he could on the ground. It had been a full hour since takeoff, and yet there were no traces of him besides what he could sense somewhere near Tibet. A massive concentration of violent energy was gathered somewhere in the Himalayas, and there was almost certain to be sheer destruction where it was.

'That was his last location. I can't imagine how fast he can move, but we're already at a disadvantage. I don't think we'll be able to make it to her in time.'

Even so, they certainly would try.

Now that he knew that there was nothing more he could do, he took his mind off of the Ansatsuken master and thought about other things that were not so troublesome, things such as Ken and his progress with Sean. He wondered if his friend was grooming Sean to be a match for Sakura's blossoming talents. He hadn't been able to tell him anything about her progress, and even if he could, he wouldn't. He would rather that it be a fair fight, rather than either of them having knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of certain moves.

He remembered the last time that Sean had tried to fight him, and could see some potential in the young man. Still, it wasn't nearly enough to defeat his superior techniques. The kid definitely needed a few years before he could catch up. But him against Sakura… now that would be interesting. Both of them were in the same boat, though one was considerably ahead by miles.

'Or is she? I can't exactly guess all of Sean's techniques. For all I know, he may have been training for longer than she has.' Ryu shrugged to himself and figured they would find out when the time came around for it. With that, he began looking forward to his meeting with Chun-Li. Wondering if she would believe him when he said that he knew who was behind the massacre in the alleyway, he began having doubts about this plan of his.

'If she doesn't believe me in the first place, this could turn very ugly in a short amount of time. I don't exactly have time to explain how I can read ki patterns.'

He would just have to hope that she believed him on the subject, and his mind immediately switched to another topic. After learning whatever they would need from Chun-Li, he would have to take them towards Thailand and India next. Both had their share of things to study and learn, and besides, he had to see Sagat again and let him know what was up.

'We haven't had that rematch yet. I can sense him even now; he's constantly getting stronger.' Ryu smiled at the mention of his greatest challenge. 'To think that he once wanted revenge on me for that scar I gave him. Once he knew what it was about though, he certainly wanted to face my real strength. At first, I didn't know what that meant, but now I do.'

At his current strength, he would be more than a match for Sagat. But the Muay Thai Emperor could always have some tricks up his sleeve… Ryu could not wait for the chance to fight him again. And then there was everyone else he had met along the path he had walked. He could sense them all at once; knew exactly where they were. The journey would no doubt take him to each and every location, and Sakura and Karin would be right there with him, hopefully watching and learning.

'And all while, hopefully, keeping two or three steps ahead of the shadow behind us.'

And with that, his mind finally emptied itself. All of his anxieties melted away as he closed his eyes yet again and simply performed the task of taking in air. Once again, he was within the wakeful sleep of meditation, and would thus know exactly when they landed.

If and when they ran into Gouki, he wouldn't worry about what would happen after; simply fight him to the best of his ability and hope that it would be enough to drive him back. It was all he could do for now, because he refused to kill him. But for now, he was at peace and in tune with the world, as it should be.

Though it would not last for long, it was there for the moment, and he would take as much of it as he could before they arrived.

* * *

Sakura lay on the king-sized bed that she shared with Karin, looking up towards the ceiling of their luxurious room. The place was awesome, and that was an understatement. She was lucky that she would be here for at least two weeks. Located in Hong Kong's central district, the hotel was all of forty stories high and had excellent room service, as she had discovered when it was time for lunch.

Sakura had ordered a hamburger with just about everything on it; grill the onions, slap some cheddar on, add the tomatoes, everything. And it was extremely good, so much so that one could hardly notice that it was on the plate in the first place. Once moment it was there, and the next it was gone as she moved on to the fries. "Wow, you really know how to set up a trip, Karin" she said in between bites.

Karin rolled her eyes and said, "Just don't inhale your food too quickly; we don't want to send you to the _hospital_ during our stay."

Sakura nodded, dipping a few fries into the ketchup that she had put on the place earlier.

Ryu was nowhere to be found during lunch time, but they could both understand the reason for that. He was probably in search of his friend to get business taken care of. And the sooner, the better; they were both eager to meet such a skilled fighter. For the next few weeks, they would both be learning a little something from her and about her, and hopefully become good friends.

This woman was probably one that a person did not want to end up on the wrong side of. They were both lucky that she was Ryu's friend, and not someone with a grudge.

That said, they both spent their time wondering where they would head shopping first, and decided that they would do it all today before things got serious. Fortunately for them, most of the stores around the hotel had employees that spoke English, and once again Sakura's handy talents would be of use.

"We need to have as much fun as we can before getting to work," Sakura said to Karin as they headed out into the busy streets, "So that it's all out of our system. Besides, when's the last time we hung out together like this without a spar or anything?"

Karin nodded and sad, "It has been a while, I'll admit. Now come on; let's get us some new outfits…"

* * *

**Round 20: **_**Endless Sky**_

Well, that's the end of part 2! So then, was it everything you expected it to be? I know it was for me.

This is the point where I announce a brief hiatus from this story (again) to focus on my other projects. Mind you, it could be a while, or it could be a very short time, but either way I will be back to deliver. Bet on it. I'd like to thank everyone that's read this so far and left remarks and reviews. I'd also like to thank the guys running this site for perfecting the new Reader Traffic feature. It's helped quite a bit, seeing just how many people are ogling my wordage every day.

Here's hoping those blue bars and yellow dots get even higher! Cheers…

_All right, that's cool!_


	21. Welcome to Hong Kong

With an almost detached gaze to her, the brunette looked at the picture yet again, peering at the blood and bone fragments that littered the street and the walls of the alley. Her elegantly slanted brown eyes scanned the scene of the crime that she had visited personally, searching for anything that was out of place, as if she could glean the information that way instead of with some other method.

It had been weeks now since the deaths of three males were reported; two of them unconscious and one still needing extensive repair to his facial bones. They would not be saying anything any time soon, which frustrated her even further. She found it strange that some of the deaths were seemingly impossible on a physical level; a clean, neat hole burned through a man, two of them cut in half, yet no blade capable of doing such a thing in sight.

'No footprints, no skin, no hair samples… it's as if they were killed by a ghost.'

Which was impossible, she knew. But here it was, right in front of her, and she had no other explanation for what caused this. But three were dead, two were in what could be considered a relative coma, and she had to find out who was responsible.

She lay down the picture and closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair as she did so. She had to clear her mind; sort this all out for a moment. The woman was currently wearing a long-sleeved blue silk shirt and a pair of black slacks with matching shoes. Her hair hung in a long, cascading waterfall of dark chocolate, to the small of her back. The facial features were those of a beautiful, refined porcelain doll when at rest, sporting a gentle smile most of the time, but transformed into those of a hardened combatant when pressured.

There was a knock on her door that made her slip from the meditative state that she was attempting to put herself into, and her eyes opened slowly, almost lazily. "It's open."

A man opened the door and peered in, observing the woman for a moment before saying, "Hey, are you busy, Chief? There's someone downstairs who says he needs to talk to you."

The woman raised an eyebrow and said, "Is that so? Well, please inform him that I am not seeing anyone at the moment, because I'm trying to wrack my brain about who or what killed three young men and critically injured two more." Yes, she was stressed. It had been a long day.

The man cleared his throat and said, "Yeah, well that's the thing… he says he knows who did it."

This made the woman raise an eyebrow. She had just been poring over what caused this massacre, and now here on coincidence was someone who knew who did it? No, it was too easy. But she suspended her disbelief for a moment and asked a rather simple question. "Can you describe him for me? And please, don't be nervous; step inside."

The man walked in, closing the door behind him. He still looked nervous. He was one of the many men who thought that their Chief Superintendant of Police was incredibly beautiful in that classic way that one could not replicate easily. She was the face that launched a thousand ships, with the body that armies would go to war for. And she could shoot through a target with a handgun at two hundred and fifty meters.

"Well," he said as he attempted to get comfortable, "He appears to be of Japanese descent. Five foot seven, athletic build, looks like he weighs about one hundred and sixty pounds… came in wearing blue jeans, a black shirt, and a denim jacket. Black hiking boots. No marks on him, no tattoos. Seems like a normal guy."

The woman placed a hand on her chin, racking her brains for someone who fit that description. Her mind was a complex network of faces, names, and information. Being a high-ranking officer, she had to remember multiple identities, sometimes more than one at the same time, and it was a tough job to do.

For a moment, she shook her head, as if she couldn't place who this man was that just walked in with information, as if he knew beforehand that… something had happened.

Things snapped into place. But she had to make sure.

"Could you excuse me for a moment? I mean, stick around, sure," she said with a smile, "But just don't say anything for a few seconds."

The man nodded and raised an eyebrow curiously as Chun-Li closed her eyes again, attempting to search the building for a specific energy wave; an aura that was unique in its density and size. Sure enough, she could feel the man's presence from where she sat, almost immediately. He was six floors down, and it still felt like he was standing in the room with her.

'It's him, all right. No question now.'

She opened her eyes. "All right, I know who it is. Do let him upstairs, would you?"

The man nodded and said, "Got it, Chief." With that, he headed out the door, closing it behind him.

The woman settled back into her chair and folded one leg over the other. "Hmm… Ryu has come to visit. And he knows who killed those people. I'm not surprised."

Chun-Li smiled to herself. Things just got a bit more interesting in her day. A major break in the case and an old friend, all at once. Things were starting to look up.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

He sat in her office, a calm and relaxed expression on his features. But his eyes were just as intense, the eyes of some kind of tiger waiting for a good meal. Or at least, she thought they were a tiger's eyes. Such a gaze could see right through a person; pierce the very heart of them. Even now, it had an effect on her that she could not quite describe.

But as much as one would assume that she felt something for him other than the camaraderie of the warrior, there was nothing there. She was his good friend, and that was all. Ryu, she understood, was not one to stick around in any place for more than a day or two, due to the constant refinement of his martial arts. His life was dedicated to the path of the warrior, and she could respect that. In fact, she admired it; few and far between walked that road anymore.

But she had stopped being a professional fighter. If they were to spar right here, right now, the odds would be stacked in his favor. But she turned her mind from fighting and concentrated on the man himself. She could admit that he was handsome, in that rugged, chiseled sort of way. But she had never seen him in anything but his karate uniform, and she found that he cleaned up quite nicely.

Yet and still, she remembered that he had already chosen his path, and she had chosen hers.

"How long has it been, Ryu?" Chun-Li asked with a smile.

He smiled and said, "Five years. You still look as beautiful as ever."

She bowed slightly and said, "And you don't look like you've changed. Hell," she added with a laugh, "You don't look like you've _aged_. Then again, people mistake me for someone younger as well these days. I suppose it's because of what we do."

Ryu nodded. "True. But I didn't come here for small talk." His facial expression turned serious. "Have you ever heard of a man named Gouki?"

Chun-Li raised an eyebrow. "Can't say I have… who is he?"

Ryu closed his eyes and sighed. This would be difficult to explain, a very long story. He would try to make it brief. "He is the man that mastered the fighting style that I use. It might look like a standard martial art, but it was originally used to kill in one stroke with any move. The way that he became the master was by killing the old one, Goutetsu. Years after that, he killed my master, Gouken as well. So he is currently the grandmaster of Ansatsuken."

The images of the brutal scene in the alleyway passed through her mind for a brief moment. A _man_ caused all that, and with only his fists and feet? She leaned forward, listening intently. It didn't matter how long it took now- he had her attention.

The man before her opened his eyes and said, "He can do things that most human beings can't begin to imagine, but it's not because of any sort of normal reasons for practicing a martial art. He doesn't do it for any kind of personal growth. He just wants to be the strongest. Gouki has the mindset that the weak are not fit to walk the earth. But at the same time, he doesn't go looking for a battle; he allows the battles to come to _him_. He only fights when challenged, and when victorious, his opponent ends up dead."

Chun-Li leaned back in her chair and placed a hand on her chin. What happened in that alleyway to start the fight in the first place? How quickly had it ended? "Describe this man for me," she said after a while. If she had a name, a face, she could place him at the scene.

Ryu began by saying, "He always wears black; red hair with a topknot, darkened skin from the blood constantly rushing through his veins. He's my height, but with a much more muscular build. But just because he's heavy doesn't mean he's slow." Oh, he knew that one by heart. "He's recently come to wearing sandals, though he used to be barefoot. His eyes are… red. No pupil, no iris, just blood red. He can't hide that, and doesn't try to."

Chun-Li had an image of the man in her head now, and closed her eyes again, placing him at the scene of the incident. Where did he stand, to the street or towards the back? From the evidence she was able to view directly, it was the street. The scene in her head changed immediately, placing Gouki right where she figured he would be.

'From what Ryu said about him,' she mused, 'they started the fight. I don't know what they were doing to cause them to instigate things; probably something they shouldn't have been doing in the first place. Tried to get rid of the witnesses and sent one guy to try and take care of it.'

That was the first knock out. She didn't know the approach or angle, but she did understand that the first man went down quickly. 'Then the second one… the one that got his teeth more or less kicked in. That guy is probably the chain-swinger, with that kind of momentum.'

She knew all about how a fight worked. It began playing out in her head now, two down and three to go.

'The others… they used weapons that weren't so easily countered. Things got ugly. But how did he move so fast?'

Her eyes opened. "I need to know what he's capable of."

Ryu nodded, understanding that she was trying to piece it together. "You've seen all my moves before. His are twice as fast, and when well-placed, can kill in one stroke, just like I said. His speed is unattainable by any normal means. If you blink, you can rest assured that he _will_ end up behind you."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "I'll keep that in mind. What else?"

Ryu attempted to think if he had missed anything, and then said, "He can launch his ki from any position, including but not limited to the air."

Chun-Li's eyes widened. Something else clicked into place. She closed her eyes again and attempted to recreate the scene. They rushed, and he moved too quickly for them to notice where he had gone. From that position in the air, he fired his energy from… one hand, both? It didn't matter.

'He burned a big hole straight through the third assailant, the one with the knife. Poor guy didn't even have time to drop his weapon before he hit the ground. What the hell is this Gouki?'

She knew this; he wasn't human. Not anymore.

"Keep going," she said with her eyes still closed. "There's one more thing. How much force does it take to cut through someone without using a blade?"

Ryu placed a hand on his chin and said, "Gouki is already strong. With the speed that he can display that strength… it wouldn't be difficult. From what you're asking, I trust that he used the _Tatsumaki Zankuukyaku_."

Her eyes opened and she leaned forward. "You… saw it happen?"

Ryu shook his head. "No. But I saw where it happened and the aftermath, and I read the ki patterns that were in the area. The Satsui no Hadou was everywhere. I knew it was him without even having to be there."

Chun-Li was silent for a moment before sliding the picture over towards him. "This is what you saw?"

Ryu lifted the picture, studied it for only a few brief seconds, and then nodded. "Yeah, down to the letter. See those two that have been cut in half through their upper torsos? That's exactly what that move does. It moves so quickly and has such sheer power behind it that it produces the force of a live blade."

She grimaced, but said nothing. 'Everything matches, the placement, the timing, the description of his abilities.' Her eyes closed again and she rewound the scene in her head, playing it back from the beginning. The five of them had been caught by Gouki doing something that they should not have been doing. It was a case of coincidence really; he was not looking for a fight.

'They made a decision to leave no witnesses; sent the first guy after him. He got taken out quickly, and they started taking notice. They figured that a big chain would work, but that failed. I figure all Gouki had to do was give it a simple tug and… whack. The attacker has the lower half of his face kicked to pieces. That one's lucky that he's not dead.'

The scene continued as the other three decided to rush him en masse. She could almost imagine him vanishing from one point and ending up in mid-air, lined up for a perfect shot. 'Given his level of skill, he probably projected his ki through a single hand, and it was powerful enough to kill in one shot.'

The scene moved to normal time again. The other two moved to beat him across the head with their sticks, but they were nothing compared to this monster. He vanished again and immediately sliced through the final two aggressors as if they were merely _air_.

"What I don't get," she said after the full picture in her head stopped moving, "Was how he did not leave a single footprint or trace of his passing. We have nothing on him…"

Ryu shook his head and said, "And you probably won't. Gouki is simply that fast. It's like fighting a ghost."

Chun-Li shook her head and said, "That's what I thought too, but this is worse. It's like being in a fishing yacht when a _tidal wave_ is coming. He's a monster, a demon."

Ryu nodded and said, "Exactly."

She nodded and replied, "You understand this is a major break in the case, and as such, I would ask for your cooperation. You know more about him than we do." She raised a hand before Ryu could speak and said, "Please don't say no. Consider it a request from a comrade. Besides, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Is there anything in particular you need, within reasonable limits?"

Ryu smiled and said, "I was just about to get to that." She believed him; good. Now it was time for the hard part. "I have a student with me, here in Hong Kong."

Chun-Li raised an eyebrow. "You have to be joking. You got yourself an actual _student_?" She smirked and said, "Thought you didn't give lessons."

Ryu shrugged and said, "Well that's not true. I give them on and off to support myself; make a little bit of money here and there. But I don't have a permanent student; at least, I didn't until now. Circumstances have forced me to change my position on that."

His good friend nodded and said, "May I ask what kind of circumstances?" She had a guess, but she needed him to say it.

The smile faded. "Gouki is after her." Before she could reply, he continued onwards. "Her name is Sakura Kasugano, and she was able to copy my fighting style to an extent within a single year, including the utilization of ki."

Chun-Li's mouth stayed open for a few seconds. She realized that she was gaping and closed it slowly. "That's… well it sounds interesting enough, if slightly unbelievable. But I figured that the part about Gouki being after her was evident. Apparently, this is the reason why."

Ryu nodded. "I brought her here to learn a few extra things that she could use to modify the moves I've already shown her. Since she's already copied the style to her own small margin, it only took little more than a month and about seven or eight days for her to completely own the basics. She needs to make them her own, however. She's already done it with the _Hadouken_."

Chun-Li was quiet, contemplating what he could be implying. Then she said, "Well if what you're saying is true, then she's a prodigy; a genius of fighting." She smiled and said, "In fact… she reminds me exactly, to the mirror image, of myself."

Ryu raised an eyebrow."Is that so? So what was your inspiration?"

She chuckled and said, "My father, for one. But it really started when I was five. I saw a Peking Opera troupe, and it changed my life. Their movements, the height of their jumps, everything fascinated me. Well, that and a Bruce Lee movie or two."

Ryu was silent, not wanting to say anything until she was finished. As if she didn't notice, the woman continued onward. "So I just kept on pushing and pushing my dad, asking him to teach me and teach me, and finally he did."

Ryu chuckled. "Yeah, you two are definitely alike. So how long did it take you to learn everything?"

Chun-Li placed a hand on her chin and tried to remember, and then she raised a single finger. "One year. For each martial art I studied, I learned and mastered it in less than eighteen months." She shook her head and said, "Yeah, we're _exactly_ alike… I believe you now about her being able to mimic your style in a year."

Ryu smiled and said, "Well then, you understand what I'm about to ask you then. I want you to start teaching Sakura. At the very least, she needs one move or form that will help her along the way. And trust me; she's going to repeat it…"

"…Over and over again," she finished with a laugh. "Sure thing, I can't wait to meet her. Is there anyone else with her, so I know beforehand?"

Ryu nodded and said, "She's got a… friend that she's known since high school named Karin Kanzuki. She's interested in watching you in action. She might want to learn a bit of something as well."

Chun-Li nodded. "All right, it's settled. And in exchange, you help us capture this Gouki. This time, let's try to keep in touch a bit more, all right? I'm starting to wonder if you can properly use a phone or computer these days."

Ryu laughed and said, "Don't worry about that. I don't have much use for them, but I know how to use them. I can't guarantee that I can track Gouki all that effectively though; he can mask his ki when he moves around. That makes it fairly difficult to do much."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Then it was a good idea to come to me with this, Ryu. You think as well as you fight. It's almost a shame you're not in my division…"

Ryu shook his head and smiled. "It's not for me, Chun-Li."

* * *

Sakura's eyes went wide as she saw all the food in front of her. It was a veritable feast, fit for royalty. At least, she thought so. She looked towards Karin and said, "Are you sure we can…"

Karin chuckled and said, "Oh, I'm sure. I can pay for it. Besides, you're gonna need all the energy you can get for the next few days. Hell, we both will. Go ahead and eat up."

Sakura grinned and bowed slightly to Karin. "Well then, _itadakimasu_!" She picked up the pair of chopsticks and deftly twirled them around her fingers before biting into the noodles first, a happy smile on her face. Karin almost wanted to count how long it would take for her to clean all of her bowls and plates, but refrained from doing so. The blonde took a bite out of her own steamed rice and found it to be tasteful, for just being simple rice. After a while though, they moved on to the dumplings. "You know what? We should eat here every day we're here," Sakura said after finishing just one of them. "This is the best stuff I've ever had!"

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "Won't you be worried that it'll get boring?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm gonna try everything they've got, sooner or later. Every day is gonna be an adventure in eating." She giggled and popped another dumpling in her mouth. Karin smiled behind her tea cup, amused at Sakura's clever choice of words. She was busy taking a sip of her tea when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement.

'Hmm… so he's found us. Who's that with him?'

Sakura's eyes opened, for they were closed during her blissful eating, as soon as she sensed it. There was Ryu, approaching from behind and to her left. But who else was next to him? Whoever it was, they felt… strong, incredibly strong. She could feel the weight of the person's aura on her shoulders, an invisible mantle that pressed down on her without them being in close proximity.

"Sakura," Karin said as she lifted her head, finishing her particular sip of tea, "Someone's…"

She nodded without looking behind her. "I know. And whoever it is, I like 'em _already_." Karin noticed that Sakura was grinning excitedly. She always got like this when someone looked strong. But now that Sakura could sense auras… or at least, Karin thought she could, from her ability to discern that someone was approaching without looking… well, could she sense their intent as well? Could she tell if they were a good person?

'And can I do that as well?'

Ryu, as expected, arrived at the table. "So here you guys are. I figured you wouldn't be far from the hotel." He turned towards the elegant, shapely woman next to him and said, "This is…"

Karin finished the sentence for him, her response breathless. "…Chun-Li."

Sakura's head snapped towards the woman, eyes wide. "…_The_ Chun-Li? China's Legendary Legs?" She looked towards Ryu and said, "I'm jealous, seriously. You're friends with a four time Sanda champion!" Then she paused as she realized, "Wait, _you're_ the super cop he was talking about!?"

The woman raised an eyebrow and said, "Seems my reputation precedes me." She bowed and said, "Chief Superintendent of Police, Chun-Li. It's a pleasure to make both of your acquaintances." She looked towards the dishes and said, "Ooh, dim sum! Mind if I join you?"

Sakura shook her head and said, "Not at all!"

Chun-Li looked towards Sakura, and immediately her senses picked the young woman's aura up. 'It's just like Ryu said… she's powerful. But her spirit is clear, like an unclouded lake or a polished mirror.' Sitting down next to Sakura, she caught a glimpse of Karin. 'This one is in good shape as well, but she is limited by something. I can't tell what it is yet.'

Shrugging her initial assumptions of the two women off for now, she flagged down a waiter and asked for another pair of chopsticks for her and Ryu. Then she looked towards Sakura and said, "Ryu has informed me of the situation, and I've agreed to take you guys on as students until your stay here is finished."

Sakura grinned and said, "You really mean that!? Oh, this is so _awesome_!" Sakura had to keep herself from squealing like a fan girl. "Kei is gonna be incredibly jealous when I tell her!"

Chun-Li smirked and said, "If you even have enough energy left at the end of the day to write or type anything, I'll be impressed." She looked towards Karin and said, "So are you here to watch, or participate?"

Karin smiled and said, "Oh, now that I know who Ryu's friend is, I'll _participate_. Don't worry about me; I can pull my share of the weight."

Chun-Li shrugged and said, "We'll see for sure. For the moment, I'm going to have to ask you what your experience is with fighting. Ryu didn't give me too many details on that. If you have any, this will go a lot faster than if you have none. Then again, one should approach any new training as if they know nothing at all."

Sakura nodded excitedly. "We understand. Please take care of us."

Chun-Li chuckled and said, "Excellent. I can tell we'll be friends already. Ah, here come the chopsticks! Enough talk, let's eat up!"

And from that point, Chun-Li was barraged with questions during the meal. With the grace of someone in her position, she answered them all, even the ones that were silly. Her answers of course, were designed to make the two young ladies laugh. Silly questions deserved silly answers, after all.

Sakura was fascinated with this woman. Like her, she had dreams and ambitions and a desire to be better than she was the day before. Just like her, she had idols that she wanted to live up to. And they had something in common – they liked Bruce Lee movies. "I can't believe that one fight scene in Enter the Dragon," Sakura chatted away in that animated manner she used when she was really into something. "You know the one in the prison cells?"

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Some of his best work. It didn't matter where they were; he would line 'em up and knock 'em down. I'd never seen anyone move so fast in my life, and watching that one made me want to be like him even more." She tilted her head to one side and asked, "So what was your inspiration?"

Sakura said nothing, simply pointing towards Ryu. Chun-Li smirked. "I figured so. I hear you copied his style in a year, and then actually learned the basics of it in less than two months."

Sakura blushed slightly. "He _told_ you about that?"

Chun-Li nodded, her face becoming serious. "You're what we call here in China a treasured sword. The more one grinds and polishes it, the sharper and more effective it becomes. If I push you hard, and I will, you're going to learn much in a short amount of time. Make no mistake, this will not be easy."

Sakura grinned and said, "That's the way I like it! Hit me with your best shot!"

She looked towards Ryu and said, "I'll be picking these two up first thing in the morning and having them join the other students in my class. Have them be ready before I come knocking. I'll call you before I leave the house."

Ryu nodded and said, "They'll be awake."

Chun-Li smiled and said, "I'll take your word for it, then."

Karin couldn't help the sudden feeling that she had just bitten off more than she could chew. But then again, that was what she had come here for, essentially; to bite off more than she could chew, to get that hard training and catch up to her rival. And for that, she would go through anything.

'Including,' she couldn't help but lament, 'the tragic loss of my beauty sleep.'

* * *

**Round 21: **_**Welcome to Hong Kong**_

And there we have it; another chapter fresh out of the oven, ripe for consumption, and courtesy of the Slayer. This one was a chance to really test my imagination and my canon facts. And get this piece of useless (but extremely fun) trivia: Sakura and Chun-Li may not have been born in the same year, but they were born in the same month.

I've noticed that they have similar traits; they can be obsessive, they have an excess of energy, they're prodigies in the martial arts, and they're both sensitive souls. We'll have to see how the two of them match up when it comes down to the showdown. And yes, there will be one; trust me.

You have to stick around to find out what I'm gonna pull out of the hat next. Cheers!

_You have fists of god!_


	22. Good Morning, Sensei

_Why do two people have the same soul, but in different bodies?_

_Was it someone's grand design to have people with highly similar backgrounds, tastes and skills be born across an ocean? How many other people are connected like this? When I met Chun-Li, I began to ask myself these things. Of course, her background was nowhere near normal like mine, but she had an inspiration, just like I did. We both had the same dream; to be like the man we admired the most._

_To that end, we pushed ourselves, did everything we could to train and learn. And what's strange is we succeeded with a speed that no one had ever seen before, much less expected. I started training myself at age fourteen, and in a year, I was able to copy the moves. She started since age five, had real training, and in three years had mastered three styles of Chinese Martial Arts._

_She might have had it at a younger age, but it was the same instance. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had seen some martial arts tournament when I was her age. Would I become even better than I am now? Would I push myself just as hard? And I find the answer to be, without a doubt, __yes__._

_What would have become if we were born on the same day of the same month of the same year and saw similar things? Our styles might have been different and our paths taking different twists and turns, but if we had met at this very moment, we would be an invariable match for each other in combat._

_And even though that never had the chance to happen, I think we are still sisters from different countries, two bodies with one soul._

_Now I have more than one hero to look up to, and I'm so glad for it. I want to be friends with this amazing woman whose legs can move faster than the fastest punch._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Two women were fast asleep in the luxurious king-sized bed, their backs facing each other. Breathing had reached a level where it was performed unconsciously and in a natural pattern, which meant that they were good and gone. Their faces looked gentle, innocent during their repose; one topped with hair of honeyed gold, the other with the color of dark chocolate that ended where her shoulders began.

While one wore an elegant dark blue robe to bed, the other wore a pair of amethyst purple cotton pajamas, the bottoms ending at mid-calf while the short-sleeved top was cut off at the hem, showing a good five inches of toned tummy. Printed all over the pants were little black kittens. She did so like these.

But regardless of what they wore, they would both be waking up at the same time today.

There was a man already walking around in the room, awake and with a few lights on in the bathroom. Neither of the women had noticed as he started brushing his teeth, taking a shower, and doing what he needed to do to make himself presentable in the morning. The man had brown hair and eyes, and was built like a chiseled Roman statue of antiquity.

This morning, he wore a pair of black jeans with a white, muscle-mapping, short-sleeved shirt. Underneath the jeans, he wore a pair of grappling shorts, white in color and with a pair of black dragons, one on either leg. His feet were adorned with a pair of cross trainers. What he would do this early in the morning was both obvious, and entirely expected. But first, he was going to wake the two women up, by hook or by crook.

Heading out of the bathroom, he turned the lights off and opened the curtains that concealed the window. It was still dark out, only four in the morning. But he had gotten the call one hour ago, saying that his friend was on the way. Even he was surprised; how had she woken up so early, and why? She hadn't answered, simply told him to get her new students ready to leave.

He proceeded to do so.

The man rubbed his hands together and quickly channeled a wave of ki into his forearms, up the wrist, and right into the palms before clapping just once. The result was something that sounded akin to a firecracker going off at close range, and the eyes of the two women snapped open.

"Good morning, ladies," He said with a grin. "It's bright and early, time to get moving."

The brunette immediately knew what was going on without having to think about it and rubbed her eyes, rolling out of bed. "Good morning, Ryu-sensei," She said sleepily. The blonde was not so quick to act, lifting up the clock on the nearby table and peering at it. "This is an ungodly hour. Is she really coming this early?"

The man known as Ryu nodded. "She just called about an hour ago. We have to get you guys ready before five, or else she's gonna tear me a new one. Come on, up we get."

The blonde groaned as she put down the digital clock as gently as she could and began making her own way out of bed. "I am _not_ a morning person," she muttered as she placed her feet on the floor, right on top of her slippers. She put them on slowly, her mind still attempting to clear the haze of sleep from its depths.

The brunette however was already stretching, displaying her impressive flexibility by lifting one leg to head height and holding it there. "Neither am I," she admitted, "But we have to keep our promises. Besides, every adventure has its rough points, right?" She held the stretch for half a minute, then lowered the leg and lifted the other.

The blonde did not say anything, simply stretched her arms towards the ceiling with another yawn. "Honestly, we need at least some breakfast. Here's hoping that Chun-Li will take us somewhere to eat."

The mention of food made her brown-haired friend perk up considerably. "I'm sure she will! Matter of fact, I'm betting on it."

Ryu nodded and said, "Well I'm going to head towards the gym downstairs. I still have to get my training in. We'll probably see each other later; if not, I'm out on a walk." He began heading towards the door and said, "Get ready to go before she gets here, all right? I'm counting on you."

The brunette waved towards him while she had her back leg extended in a rear kick as if she were frozen in time. The blonde rolled her eyes and said, "What a show off. Honestly, do you have to do that in front of me?"

The woman focused her brown eyes on her dark hazel ones and asked, "Well can't you do this too? Why don't you stretch with me? I bet it'll wake you up much faster."

The blonde sighed and said, "I suppose you have a point there." She couldn't stay mad at her friend for long; such innocence was quite disarming. With that, the two of them began to do several stretching exercises for all of five minutes, and the blonde took a momentary pleasure in seeing just how far down she could bend.

Indeed, by the time their warm-up was over, she was awake and refreshed. "Well that did the trick," she said with a content sigh. "I think I'm going to take a shower. I'll let you know when I'm done."

The brunette nodded and began shadow boxing as soon as the blonde entered the bathroom. It wasn't like she had anything better to do, and besides, daily practice of her moves was essential. She just couldn't do the major ones while still in the room. Punches and kicks flew outwards with accuracy and force towards invisible targets, her opponent being wailed on without being given a second to react.

It took her fifteen minutes to work up a good sweat, and thus she did not notice it when the bathroom door was opened. She was essentially being watched by her blonde friend, who was fascinated at how deep into herself she had retreated. Her body moved as if it were a machine, precisely performing the strikes and kicks that were drilled into it for years.

The blonde grimaced as her friend and rival executed an uppercut that would have tapped someone's chin something fierce, knocking them clean out.

Suddenly, she wanted to shadow box as well. "Um, Sakura…"

The brunette stopped with her right arm extended in a reverse punch. "Ah, you're done, Karin?"

The blonde smirked and said, "I was done ten minutes ago. You can have it now."

Sakura grinned and said, "Thanks! I had a really tough workout just now. If you'll excuse me…" With that, she jogged into the bathroom and closed the door, locking it tight. The sound of the shower was heard not but twenty seconds later, and Karin was essentially alone for the time being. She began her own shadow boxing routine, her own moves not so limited by space.

Karin's moves were focused palm strikes, sharp elbows, knees, and kicks from several different styles. She had a far more lethal touch in some of her attacks; a single one of those palm heel strikes delivered with enough force to the area of the heart would stop it cold. And yet she did not aim for that specific area, doing only enough damage to break ribs.

Knees, elbows, and legs were a different story. They could do anything they wanted to as far as the head and upper body was concerned. She loved using them, but still felt limited. Karin needed something else to bolster her arsenal, a new move that would overwhelm her opponent.

'It's what I'm hoping to create during my lessons from her,' she thought to herself as her body went through the motions of striking and kicking. Since the body remembered, the mind was free to plan and consider. She had to catch up, no matter what. It was crucial for her to get on par with her rival.

By the time a few minutes had passed, she was in her zone, and yet she noticed that Sakura had exited the bathroom, stretching out as she did so. "Hey, I'm done. Let's hurry up; we only have about twenty minutes left!"

Karin stopped what she was doing and nodded with her back still turned. "Right, we don't want to disappoint her." But she figured that Chun-Li would show herself as more angry than disappointed. The case however would be the same either way.

By the time they had both gotten themselves ready, they had five minutes to spare. Both Sakura and Karin wore a set of warm-ups; Karin's grey while Sakura's were a light blue. Sakura wore her white runners while Karin wore a pair of reinforced hiking boots. They both wore a pair of biking shorts and sports bras underneath the whole getup. If nothing else, they were set to go for the day.

Just in time, too, because there was a knocking on the door. Sakura raised an eyebrow and said, "She's here early." They both stood up and headed towards the door. As Sakura opened it, Chun-Li stood before them wearing a blue leotard and an intricate silk vest embroidered with gold, her hair in the braided buns known as ox horns. She had bought another set of each to adjust for her new measurements. The white silk brocades and ribbons in her hair were still present even now, as a reminder of her father.

A pair of arm bands was on her wrists, cotton and colored a darker shade of blue, almost black. To complete the picture, she wore a pair of white and blue runners instead of just plain white. She looked at the both of them and nodded in satisfaction. "As expected of any student of mine, you two are punctual. That's good to know." She turned around and signaled for them to follow. "Let's get started!"

* * *

"Come on, keep up the pace you guys! I don't want to be the only one running out here!"

The day started out with a five mile run along Aberdeen Harbor. Sakura did not mind the jog at all – in fact, she settled into a comfortable pace that allowed her to keep moving without pause or break in her stride. Karin however hadn't really done anything physical for a while, except for practicing her forms. One mile, she could do nicely, even two. But when it came to the third one, she had to start digging deep quite early.

"Don't you give out on me now, Kanzuki," Chun-Li urged. "You wanted to participate, so let's see if you can. Push through!"

The blonde set her face in a determined expression and attempted to block out the fatigue. Her entire body complained as she took each stride, burning merrily as she moved along. Whenever something like this happened, she kept one single thought in her head; every step she took was one step closer to matching herself with Sakura.

It helped that said rival encouraged her. "Come on Karin-chan, just a bit more and we get to eat breakfast!" Sakura grinned and said, "I'm sure there are a lot of good places around here – we just have to work for our meal, that's all. Just keep going, and don't think about the pain!"

Karin nodded, her breathing in time with her steps, even as her lungs burned. Pretty soon, the pain began to turn into numbness, and then into something else altogether as her mind channeled on something other than her run. 'I wonder how my father is doing right now. I haven't heard from him in some time now; he must be busy on a project of his.'

Karin smiled as she remembered the last message he had sent her; he said that he was proud of her and to stay safe. She hadn't remembered him saying that to her since she was a child. Perhaps things were changing for the better these days? She couldn't help but wonder when his attitude to her had improved, but she was glad for it.

As she thought on this, she forgot entirely about the run, and the pain she was going through. Sakura smiled and said nothing, simply keeping her pace. Chun-Li looked behind her and nodded approvingly. 'She's lost herself in whatever thoughts she has. Good; whatever helps her through this. But both she and Sakura need work. They're too far behind me.'

By the time their run was over, they had made their way towards Aberdeen Square, and the time was seven in the morning. The streets were mostly clear, and would be for at least an hour. However, that did not mean there were no places to eat open. On the contrary, the smell of good food wafted from the congee stands and restaurants that were already doing business.

They walked into a café and began having some pancakes and eggs with bacon and milk tea. "Told you," Sakura said cheerily as she munched happily on her meal. Karin chuckled and said, "Ever the optimist, I see." She took a sip of her drink and asked Chun-Li, "Are we going to do that every morning?"

She nodded. "Yes. Every run will be at the same time every morning, just a different place on the island every time we do it. I plan on taking you on a whirlwind tour before this is over. Of course after the run and breakfast, we're heading back towards Wan Chai for class."

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "You teach kung fu?"

Chun-Li smiled. "Yeah, and the group I teach are a quite energetic bunch. You'll like them, trust me."

Karin shrugged and said, "I'll take your word for it," as she began eating breakfast.

Of course, when they were finished with breakfast, they headed back towards the center of the island and found a few children in Golden Bauhinia Square, playing around. There were just about fifteen of them, and they didn't look any older than about five or six years old. Sakura grinned and said, "So are those the ones you're teaching?"

Chun-Li nodded. "Yeah, those are they."

Karin didn't look so eager. "Don't tell me we're going to be training alongside a bunch of children. You can't understand how demeaning that would be if that were the case." She felt like she was being belittled and insulted. The sudden, gut feeling that she got just then merely enhanced her dread.

It was quickly confirmed. "And what is so wrong with that?" Chun-Li asked as she turned towards Karin, placing her hands on her hips. "You have to remember that they're just starting out, exactly like you two are. We're going to go through the same motions all at once, and you will learn what they are learning. I suggest you take this opportunity to learn from the children as well… about a bit of manners."

Karin blushed slightly and lowered her head. "But…"

Chun-Li raised a finger and said, "Don't make me make you run."

Karin sighed and said, "Hai, sensei."

The elegant Chinese woman turned around and clapped her hands twice. "Class is starting!" The flock of children immediately ran towards her, all smiles. Sakura could not help but grin back, which made Karin look towards her with an odd gaze.

'It's as if she was their age instead of her own… but it doesn't look strange on her.'

Oh, but it would look strange on her, though. At least, it did in her mind. Karin shook her head and turned her gaze forward. She would have to bear it if she wanted to learn some new moves!

* * *

Chun-Li stood in her fighting stance, her brown eyes at peace as she observed the two women who had taken their own positions. The rules were simple – there were none. They were to come at her with all of the moves they had at their disposal, because she had to first see what they were already capable of. It was a spar, certainly, but it was a very real one.

"Remember that I can tell if you are holding back," She had said before they faced off, "So don't. I'll make you pay for it if you do."

As she observed the two of them, she noticed that Sakura's energy was beginning to heighten. Without even twitching an eyebrow, she could tell that she was excited. 'Her chi flows as if it were in a hurry to get where it's going, and yet it's still smooth and unburdened. But this one,' she mused as she viewed Karin's energy paths, 'Remains unchanged. She is not so much excited as she is prepared. It is a slow movement, and yet may very well pick up when battle begins.'

She had just determined her first target.

"Will you not come and attack me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Don't you have something to prove to me?"

Karin took a deep breath and thought, 'As soon as we attack her, she'll react instantaneously. We have to take this slowly or else we'll be defeated in a shorter time than usual.'

Sakura didn't have that same mindset. "Oh don't worry about that, I wasn't planning on sitting here forever!" Karin's eyes widened as Sakura burst forward with a speed that she had never seen before. Chun-Li smiled and set herself, preparing to fend off the incoming assault.

'Damn it, Kasugano; don't underestimate her!'

Sakura began with a right jab, which was neatly slipped past. With the speed that was her trademark, Sakura retrieved the fist and jabbed again in succession. Chun-Li's right eyebrow rose as she saw the attack coming towards her almost at the exact time she recovered. 'Interesting, she's faster than I figured she would be.' She was forced to catch the punch and bat it downwards, taking a step back as she did so. And Sakura threw out a third jab, which was just as fast as the first.

Chun-Li tried to catch it, and it was suddenly pulled back in mid-journey. Reaction time immediately kicked in as she moved to her right, avoiding the left straight. There was a roundhouse kick headed straight towards Sakura's solar plexus with a startling degree of accuracy, but Sakura hopped backwards, narrowly evading the kick.

'That was too close,' she thought as she rushed in again, executing a fast right front kick. Chun-Li parried, stepped to the outside, and came in with a sharp knee straight to Sakura's chin. It connected, making Sakura's teeth rattle as it lifted her upwards slightly. The knee was lowered and a series of strikes followed, quick and accurate, before a final lunge punch sent her flying.

Before she landed, Sakura recovered and prepared to launch another attack… when Karin charged forward. Well she wasn't about to let things get out of hand, now was she? While Sakura's first rush put their mutual opponent on a temporary defensive, it wasn't enough.

Chun-Li responded immediately as Karin came in with a leap and two downward palm heel strikes in a circular motion. The attack was easily stepped to one side of and just as easily countered with a kick to the back of Karin's right knee that made her stumble forward upon impact. Chun-Li halted and gave her opponent some space, letting the blonde gather herself.

Karin turned to face the temporary enemy and stepped forward into range, slicing forward with a quick jab. Chun-Li leaned backwards to evade the blow, but had to catch the next one. Karin came in with yet another, and another, circling around her target like a bumblebee.

'Knew she was good,' the more experienced fighter said with a smile. She began anticipating the attack, but just as she moved to parry, Karin stepped out of range before darting back inwards with her palm strikes. Chun-Li was caught with one, and then the subsequent attack after. The third move came out nice and strong, but the target it was aimed at just seemed to move out of the way.

'Damn, how did she…?' That question did not matter a lick though, because Karin was in far too close. Chun-Li rammed an elbow into her jaw before quickly setting herself, thrusting one palm forward into the blonde's midsection. Karin would be blasted backwards after a sudden light erupted from said palm. "**Kikouken**!"

Karin was blasted backwards by the explosion of chi for several feet, and the children clapped and cheered as she continued her advance. As Karin's back hit the floor, she could feel her bones complain. 'Damn, she's all over me!'

Before the jump-in was completed, Chun-Li was suddenly hit from behind… by a move she should have seen coming. "**Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku**," Sakura cried as she executed the move to perfection, her right leg ramming forcefully into its target a total of three times before sending the opponent flying towards the ground.

Sakura landed right next to Karin and without looking, reached down to help her up. "You okay?"

Karin grimaced and nodded, taking Sakura's hand. "She's good… better than I had read about. Be careful on your advance next time."

Sakura nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly as Chun-Li stood up, apparently without a scratch on her. She could sense the shift in her aura and said, "Crap, she's _serious_ now."

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "She wasn't before?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, she wasn't. We both managed to hit her. It's turned into a fight now instead of a spar." She smiled cheerily, and yet said, "We could very well lose this one." She set her stance and added, "Good! This way I get to see her true strength!"

Sakura ran forward again and launched into the air, coming down with a side blade kick towards her opponent's head. Without even blinking, Chun-Li leapt up into the air with her, performed a neat flip, and rammed the back of her right calf down on Sakura's collar bone. The young woman was forcefully taken to the ground by the kick, but rolled backwards to recover. Karin immediately leapt over Sakura and began closing the distance, attacking with whatever she could use. In quite nimble fashion, Chun-Li evaded and dodged the spear hands, punches, and elbows that came in at close range and with blinding speed.

The children were silent, fascinated by the spectacle.

Sakura was busy attempting to circle around to Chun-Li's flank again, trying to catch her off guard for a second time. She knew she would probably be tracked this time, but she had to try. Karin meanwhile had begun kicking at Chun-Li's right thigh, having already scored one successful hit in the sweet spot and attempting to go for a few more. The second one connected, but the third one was checked and countered with a front kick.

And then, it came. Suddenly, swiftly, and without warning, the signature technique showed itself.

Her left leg rammed forward, multiple roundhouse kicks slamming into Karin while her core stayed perfectly balanced over the heel of her right leg. Six kicks connected at multiple points, two of them digging deep enough to make Karin's rib cage complain. Karin stumbled backwards, doubled over as she held her right side.

Before she could lower that leg again, Chun-Li had her supporting foot swept out from under her.

Or at least, she would have if she did not sense Sakura coming. Chun-Li launched off of her right foot, her powerful calf muscles propelling her upwards, and the sweep missed entirely. Another kick of the same she had used against Sakura while in the air came downwards… and then Sakura surprised her yet again.

'Gotcha!'

"**Shoryuken**," Sakura shouted as she launched upwards just as Ryu had taught her. Chun-Li was smacked into with that ki-charged fist, hit twice before she flew right back into the air where she had jumped.

It wasn't over.

She managed to recover in mid-air, but sadly retaliation was not to be. Karin had recovered from the _Hyakuretsu Kyaku_ she had just suffered from and hopped upwards with one leg, followed immediately by the other. Both connected, and Chun-Li was sent upwards again. "**Mujin Kyaku**!"

She was good and dazed now, leaving Sakura for a perfect setup. With a wide grin, she leapt high into the air, meeting Chun-Li halfway before turning her back to her and launching something that was a sight to behold. If one had a slow-motion camera, they would probably take this picture.

A jumping back kick smashed into the Chinese champion's midsection, forcing her to fly for several feet before her approach towards the ground. Sakura landed and the two of them took fighting positions beside each other. Except that they were much, much cooler- Karin had one leg stylishly chambered and her arms in an elegant posture while Sakura was in a low horse stance, her palms open and her face sporting a wide grin.

And now the children were cheering for them as they successfully defended themselves. Chun-Li got right back up again, and settled into her own stance. "Well how about that?" She called out. "You two really are something else."

Their smiles did not fade. 'She's bad-ass,' Sakura thought to herself with sheer bliss. 'That was a major assault and she's back for more! I _love_ this fight!'

Chun-Li expertly began moving forward, whirling in the air before coming down with a hard stomp kick. It had such force behind it that the pavement below splintered, but Karin and Sakura dove out of the way and began attacking Chun-Li from either side.

Unfortunately, the offensive was entirely nullified. Without looking to either side, Chun-Li began demonstrating her defensive skills as she parried, evaded, and blocked everything that came at her. It was when she ducked under both of their high roundhouse kicks, attempting to ram into her head from both ends, that she ended the fight in one blow.

Sakura and Karin were sucked into a move that would have been described as physically impossible, were they not facing the only woman who could pull it off. Chun-Li was essentially upside down, her legs whirling in blade-like fashion, hitting both young women multiple times. "**Spinning Bird Kick**," she said as she sent them flying away, their bodies spinning wildly. Gently, she settled down and took an elegant finishing pose as they hit the ground, hard.

They didn't move for a good two minutes, gritting their teeth and holding their sides. If she had done that any faster, their ribs would be entirely broken, more than a few. For now, they were bruised, and that was enough to put them down and for Chun-Li to possibly make her escape or an arrest… were they bad people. But they weren't.

"Well, you're not recovering from that any time soon," she said as she stood up. "Guess that means I win."

Sakura laughed, even as the pain sang along her nerves. "Guess so! So what do the losers get?"

Chun-Li paused for a moment for dramatic effect, as if she were pondering it. Then she began clapping her hands. The children followed suit and began cheering. They knew a good match when they saw one, and besides, it was fun to watch!

Karin couldn't help but smile, though she was definitely down for the count. 'Well, I certainly understand now; thank you, sensei.'

* * *

**Round 22: **_**Good Morning, Sensei**_

Ah, blissful battle.

That ends this chapter! Now that's what I call a fight. I think that Chun-Li is satisfied now, but she does have to teach them a few tricks still. And now that she knows they're good, she isn't going to hold back any on them as far as training goes. Nope, they're getting the royal treatment. Trust me; it's not a good thing in this case. But I still plan on having them train with the children. Hey, at least Sakura likes that part.

Well then, another thank you goes out to my readers and reviewers. This chapter and others would not have been made possible if you had not put something down in response to them. Heck, the fact that you're reading them in the first place is good enough for me! So then, the next chapter will be getting into their actual training at this stage, and I'll be introducing two more characters into the mix.

Cheers!

_Prepare for battle._


	23. Motivations

_From the first moment I traveled to Hong Kong, I loved it._

_Certainly, it was while searching for someone, but I figured that while I was there, I would enjoy the scenery and the atmosphere; the mingling of two cultures into an almost seamless blend, a marriage of eastern and western standards that made the place unique. It was business and pleasure and all sorts of small towns that had their own styles._

_Back then, when I was seventeen, I had little time for it, though. I was fixated on a single target, and would not let anything stand in my way or deter me. But now that my former foe has shown me the way, I figure I'll actually enjoy the trip this time. I will certainly get my miles in, that's for sure._

_Today, we visited Yee Wo Street in the Eastern District, and I found it to be my kind of place. If we weren't so busy running, I'd have asked to visit a few stores, see what was inside. Alas, it was not to be, for business came before pleasure. But I promised myself that if circumstances were still favorable later in the month, I would come back here myself._

-Excerpt from the diary of Karin Kanzuki

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Karin attempted to follow the movements that Chun-Li led her class through, trying to ignore the fact that her class was comprised of mostly children that were several feet shorter than she was. She knew perfectly well that things learned here would help her out later, but… she couldn't help but wonder if training with a bunch of kids that were about five to seven years old was the right course of action to take.

But she said that she could pull her share of the weight. Far be it from Karin to back off now. Besides, it would probably teach her something about children in general. She felt uncomfortable around them; she was an only child, didn't have any friends growing up, and didn't really know how to relate. Perhaps she could learn something from them after all.

Not like Sakura had any problem with them. On the contrary, she was so far into her moves that she looked as if she belonged with them. When Karin looked at Sakura, she noticed that her movements were just about in sync with those around her, and she didn't even look behind or to the side. She didn't mind being around them; didn't feel self-conscious.

'I have to put myself in the place of a child again,' Karin thought to herself as she got back to working the form with the class. 'Pretend as if they were my little brothers and sisters.' Now, Karin was not good at pretending; she was an analytical, down-to-earth woman. Sakura was all heart and soul, Karin was all body and mind. The two of them evened each other out, but when it came to others…

'I feel useless,' she lamented to herself, even as she performed the next step in the routine.

Chun-Li could sense the shift in Karin's energy as she performed the moves, and her heart just about broke when she felt her emotional state. 'I don't know what she's thinking, but it's something that needs to be taken care of, soon. Otherwise, she'll never get anywhere.'

Once the form was over and the children were told to practice it, Karin was pulled aside. "Something's wrong," Chun-Li said, getting straight to the point. "I could guess, but I want you to tell me what it is."

Karin lifted her chin and said, "I'm doing reasonably well, thank you. If it's keeping up you're worried about, I'm perfectly fine." For some reason, that brown-eyed stare made her put a defensive wall around herself, regardless of whether it would work or not.

The Chinese woman smiled and said, "I didn't say anything about that; you're doing just fine. There's something else though, isn't there?"

Karin shrugged and said, "I don't know what exactly you're getting at, but if this is some kind of test, go ahead and test me. I am confident that I can meet expectations."

Chun-Li almost laughed. So everything was a test then? It was a simple question. "Let's try this again… you feel uncomfortable in this situation. It's making you unhappy. I didn't bring you here to torture you; you came here of your own free will, besides. So why are you not more… you know, into it?"

Karin was silent. Was she really so transparent? Chun-Li hadn't even looked at her once, and she could still tell that something was wrong? "Into it like Sakura is?" She asked softly.

Chun-Li scratched the back of her head and said, "Well yeah. She's like a fish in water, while you're being the stone that the river moves around."

Another arrow hit the target. It almost made Karin wince. "Why do we have to train with little children?" She finally asked. "I would rather be amongst adults than have to belittle myself to the point where…"

Chun-Li placed a hand on Karin's forehead, immediately stopping her tirade. "There we go. Now we're getting somewhere. So then, why do you feel you're belittling yourself by being around a bunch of kids who couldn't kick higher than their waist? They're starting out; you've been training for a much longer time."

Karin looked towards Chun-Li and said, "That's just it. I have more experience than this. I understand it's a new style and all, but shouldn't we be training with other adults who are starting out instead of children?"

The woman nodded and said, "So we're getting deeper into it now, good. Now I'm going to explain to you why exactly you are training with them." She closed her eyes and said, "Children are fascinating to watch. They're just at the beginning of their lives, and don't know how to lie or deceive. Their bodies are still in the process of developing, so anything that one teaches them will be greatly enhanced. Teach them long enough…"

Karin nodded, knowing exactly how this worked. "…And the mind forgets while the body remembers. I know. But why do we have to…"

She wasn't done, and signified this by placing a finger against Karin's lips. "You can learn a lot more from children besides just how they move. Look at them," she said as she turned towards the scene. "They're orderly, organized, and polite; neat and tidy and full of life. You don't see any dark clouds over their heads, any sort of ambition or desire. They're just who they are."

Karin looked along with Chun-Li as she spoke, and began to understand somewhat. But then she said, "If that's the case, then is that what you're trying to teach me?"

Chun-Li shrugged and said, "Maybe. It depends on whether or not you want to learn. Besides, you two are experienced fighters. The kids need someone else to look up to besides me. Look at what's happening already…"

Karin raised an eyebrow as she took notice. Sakura, without even thinking about it, was beginning to lead the class. They were actually following her lead, mimicking her movements. Her eyes widened slightly. "I see what you mean."

The Chinese woman smiled. "Just as long as she doesn't teach them the improper way to do it, it's all good. It's only been a few days of this, and she's picking it up nicely. I expect by the end of the week, she'll have it down enough that she'll be able to follow it without having to think. Not to mention that she's having them teach her Chinese."

Karin chuckled and said, "That has got to be amusing." She looked towards Chun-Li and said, "I don't know… I just feel so nervous around them. I feel entirely useless in this situation, as if everyone's watching me."

Chun-Li closed her eyes sagely and said, "Only child."

The blonde's dark hazel eyes widened. "Yes, I am… but how…?"

"I was one too," the brunette responded. "Only family I had around was my dad, and he was majorly busy as a cop. But he took time even out of his schedule to tend to me and play with me. He even took me to see the Peking Opera when I was five… you know what happened after that."

Karin looked down at her feet with a sad smile. "My father… was never around. Or I should say, rarely. The only ones that were constantly there were my instructors, pupils, and my mother." She shook her head and said, "I was never let out of the house from all the work and studying I had to do; never had time for friends or casual talk. The only one who ever really encouraged me to push past all my adversity was my mother."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "You know, I kind of thought you were like that."

The blonde looked towards her and said, "Really? And how did you deduce that?"

Chun-Li smiled and said, "I used my imagination."

Karin scoffed. "That doesn't sound too reliable."

Chun-Li placed a hand on her hip and asked, "Well have you tried it?"

Karin went silent for a few seconds, and then shook her head. "No, I have not. I wouldn't even know how, to be honest." She sighed and said, "It makes me look and sound like a fool, not being able to do something as simple as that. But I really, truly don't know how."

The Chinese master placed a hand in her student's hair and said, "It's because you never had any friends growing up. Friends exist for more than just social skills. They're there to make believe with. If you don't have any friends, then there's no room for imagination. But you know," she added with a hand placed on her chin, "I'm betting that once you entered high school, you weren't worried too much about that. You were all confident and glowing with pride, and that made people either flock to you or despise you. In addition, you made your own little circle, and kept those you found worthy inside it, without deviating."

Karin was shocked speechless. That was exactly right… it felt like the woman was reading her mind.

Chun-Li was not finished. "I'm betting you figured with all that knowledge of martial arts under your belt, you could take anyone on. So when you heard about someone from your school that was excelling in underground tournaments and the like, you figured it would be a great chance to show the superiority of your style. But when you got your ass handed to you…"

Karin finished the sentence in almost a whisper. "…Things changed."

Chun-Li nodded. And then her eyes widened as she realized what she had sensed the first time she met the blonde woman. Pointing towards her, she said, "That's what's holding you back, isn't it? It's not just the kids. It's Sakura."

Karin looked towards Chun-Li and said, "Her, holding me back? How could that be? She pushes me onward, drives me _forward_!"

The master smiled confidently and said, "And that is the problem. When you have a mountain to climb, you can't look anywhere but up. Sakura is your mountain; your obstacle to surpass. But should you really make a mountain out of things? Should she really be an obstacle?"

Karin wanted to say something in response, but her mind caught wind of what Chun-Li was saying, broke it down piece by piece as cold, cruel logic forced the words right out of her mouth. She had a point… Sakura was not an obstacle; she was being made into one. Karin was constantly matching herself against her rival all this time. Come to think of it, it wasn't even right to call Sakura a rival.

Chun-Li could sense the shift in her student's energy again and nodded. "I want you to think on this. Meditate for a while. In fact, I'm not allowing you back into class until you have sorted this out. You just remember; the only opponent you have in the martial arts is yourself."

She walked away, leaving Karin to consider what had just been revealed to her. The blonde wasn't concerned about not being allowed into class; at least, not as concerned as she could have been. She simply sat on the ground, folded her legs in lotus posture, and let the processes of her mind work things out until they were no more.

It would take a while, but she was at least started on the road.

* * *

Ten feet into the air she flew, dazzling Sakura with her leaps and twirls. Wide-eyed, she watched as Chun-Li executed an advanced form from her own personal style, her legs and arms moving in a display of controlled chaos, simulating an actual fight. In her mind's eye, that was exactly what it was… a fight, and a big one.

'She's taking on a dozen of them, two dozen.' She could feel her skin heating up as the blood rushed through her veins. 'Get 'em. Kick their asses!'

Karin was taking this moment to watch the moves and learn how they worked. The woman was moving with blinding speed, and yet Karin's eyes recorded every shift in stance, every strike thrown. But she kept one move in mind more than anything else – a tornado kick that was launched, thrown, and finished with only one foot.

'Incredible… I've never seen anything like that.'

She had found her move. Now all she needed to do was find a way to use it practically.

Sakura however, wasn't concerned about moves so much as she was concerned about the battle that was taking place inside her mind. Enemies were mowed down by the Legendary Legs with a speed that was almost untraceable to the naked eyes. She didn't care how it had started; she just cared how it was happening and how it was going to end.

But then the scene in her mind slowed to a crawl as she saw one kick that was definitely going to be a good one to use… if she could pull it off that was. A high-angle side heel kick that was more like a vertical split than anything else. Sakura's eyes widened as she saw the man that had been hit right in the jaw with it fly several feet in the air as if he were floating, just before Chun-Li launched upwards with him and rammed the poor soul straight back to earth with a stomp.

'Too unreal…'

She too, had found her move. Not the stomp, but the kick itself. It was higher than even hers was, and she wanted to do that. Granted, she already had the flexibility, but she didn't know how exactly to execute such a move with power. An idea was already forming in her head about how she could put that one kick to good use.

And then, she saw another one that she liked. It was one that she had seen before, but never really took time to use: the flying side heel kick. Simple, efficient, and risky, but with Chun-Li it could be a devastating weapon. Sakura wanted to use it like she did, but without letting the opponent know it was coming; instantaneously and at full power, without the need for a run-up.

'It can be done… I just have to find out how.'

By the time the demonstration was over, everyone broke into applause. No one would be doing all that just yet, but she showed them what could be possible with enough training. "All right, up we get! It's time to spar! Remember, don't hurt each other and make sure you have control of your techniques."

As the children took their positions, Chun-Li walked over towards Karin and Sakura. "Anything in that inspire you?"

They both nodded. "More than you know," Sakura said with a grin. "That was one of the coolest things I have ever seen! I've never seen anyone kick that high with a side kick before!"

The Interpol agent smiled and said, "Well I bet you could manage it. You've been able to do everything else fairly well so far." She turned towards Karin and said, "Anything you saw that was fairly impressive? Perhaps something you'd like to learn too?"

Karin nodded and said, "That tornado kick with just one leg was amazing. How much strength does it take to do that? How high do you have to jump?" She wanted to ask if she could use it in a real fight, but she figured that she would find that out on her own. In the meantime, her questions were answered in short order.

"To jump that high, it does take a lot of strength. But if you really want to turn it over so that the leg you launched off of is the same you land on, you need to whip that leg over as if it were a catapult throwing a boulder," Chun-Li said, swinging her left arm over her head with quite a bit of force as an example. "It's a kick that doesn't necessarily require strength to execute, but speed and momentum. Strength is merely for a higher takeoff."

Karin nodded, her mind taking notes in automatic fashion.

Sakura's grin tapered off as she asked, "So what happened to Karin? I kinda noticed that she wasn't practicing forms with us earlier."

The blonde smiled and said, "It's a secret. I'll tell you when I'm ready to."

And with that, they started their own training. Sakura's usual side kick was head-height at long and medium range at best, and she could stretch her leg above her head with little trouble. But as stated before, when it came to throwing a kick like that at close range, close enough to toss a foe into the air, she had problems.

Chun-Li chuckled as Sakura made an attempt to toss the kick with her full strength… and fell onto her ass. "Harder than it looks, right? But at least you got the kicking height down and used good form. You just couldn't keep your balance long enough. I want you to try doing that slowly, just so I can confirm that you can do it."

Sakura nodded, stood up, and did the move in slow motion. Of course, this time it was executed with precision, the almost dramatically slow movements under total control. "Good," Chun-Li said with a nod, "Now do that a little faster; just a little, mind you. Don't get too excited."

She performed the move again, a touch faster than her initial, graceful movement. It was still easy. From that point, Chun-Li told her to increase the speed of each subsequent kick until it became somewhat difficult. On the sixth kick, Sakura's supporting leg wavered a bit. Chun-Li called a halt. "I want you to do it at that speed, several times every day. Do that same move all day if you have to, to the exclusion of everything else. You'll find that you will be able to kick much, much better with it if you keep on slugging away at it. Got that?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Got it. I'm starting now, okay?" And she did just that, trying her best to keep her balance. Chun-Li nodded and walked towards Karin.

"How's it coming?" she asked as she peered over towards the blonde in a fighting stance.

"It's tough, as expected," Karin said as she turned to face her teacher. "Landing on the same foot you launch off of is difficult at best. I'm used to sticking a landing on the other foot, so this is very strange for me. And that kick you threw at the top… that was a crescent kick, right?" Karin tilted her head to one side and said, "Can you show me one with a roundhouse?"

Chun-Li nodded and performed the move, turning around with her right leg raised before launching off of her left and throwing her hip forward, forcefully ramming the kick home. Immediately after, she threw the leg downwards, giving her enough torque to make the extra half spin and land on the same leg she had jumped off of.

Karin simply stared. How easy it looked! And yet, how frustratingly difficult it was.

Chun-Li shook out her legs and said, "That give you any ideas?"

Karin shook her head. "None at all, just that you're incredible."

Chun-Li smiled and said, "Well the first thing you need is a good foundation, and that means a good, normal, tornado kick." She took a few steps back and said, "Show me what you can do with a normal one, and I'll show you how you can do it with only one foot."

Karin nodded and got into stance again, setting herself before executing a crescent tornado kick with her right leg, and then her left. Chun-Li said nothing, simply watching her form and power. Karin did the same with the roundhouse kick on both legs, and then looked over towards her teacher.

She nodded. "Good. Those were excellent. Both variants were done as they should be. So then, here's the trick to the one-footed version of each. I'll even show you how to use it against a real opponent if you like."

Karin smiled and said, "That's just what I was hoping for."

And so, her lesson began. "The formula is simple. The kick is not just one kick, like in your normal move, but two. The single kick takes momentum to advantage. But for this kick, you need to kick off of the ground first. It's a jump off of one leg before the actual move. This is the part that takes some considerable leg strength." Chun-Li folded her arms before her chest and said, "Show me how high you can jump off of just one leg; pick either one."

Karin nodded and set herself, lifting her right leg off of the ground. She bent her left knee slightly to engage the muscles, and then launched upwards. The clearance was a good forty inches, and Chun-Li smiled. "That wasn't bad at all. Let's see the other one…" Again, forty inches, and Chun-Li shrugged. "The jump is fine for a standard kick. I think that your problem is getting it up and over quickly enough."

Karin nodded again and said, "I think that's what's bugging me as well. It's just so hard to prepare a kick, throw it out, and then put it underneath you for the landing all at once."

Chun-Li smiled and said, "Believe it or not, it was hard for me as well when I was practicing it. The key is to swing that leg as hard and fast as you can, but still keep proper form. You have to whip that roundhouse or crescent over as if you were throwing something with your leg instead of your arm, just like I said earlier. It doesn't involve the legs so much to generate power as it involves the hip that the leg is connected to. You have to throw it forward first, tuck that back leg in, and then toss the kick."

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "So it's a hard jumping roundhouse or crescent kick that starts and ends off of one leg?" She smirked and said, "That's crazy. But I need to learn it. I have an idea of how to use it in a move I'm creating."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Well then, seems you have a plan in mind, so I'll teach you what I can. The rest will be up to you."

The first thing she would have to learn is putting the hip into motion immediately after the jump, on either kick. It wouldn't be all that easy to do at first, and Karin learned that the hard way as she was forced to land on her other leg instead of the same one, or fall flat on her face. After about four tries of this, Karin growled in frustration and said, "This is not working."

But she tried again anyway. On the tenth jump, she finally managed to turn the hip over… and her eyes widened as the leg seemed to move by itself, without her throwing the kick. The momentum alone made her body turn, and she was suddenly forced to land on the same leg she leapt off of!

Chun-Li laughed and said, "A real shock isn't it? How'd that feel?"

Karin sighed and said, "Like I was going to get my head cracked open if I didn't land it! Does it always feel this… out of control?"

The Chinese master nodded and said, "It's why it's called a tornado kick. Doing it off of one leg makes it even crazier. The difficulty of this move is in controlling it and perfecting it to a point where you can do it without thinking about it, and in a split second. Say that your opponent is jumping in at you, aiming their fist or foot or knees towards you. You have to do something quickly to knock them out of the sky."

Chun-Li set her stance for a moment before springing upwards off of her right leg, tossing it upwards in an arc, and one the leg reached the top, she snapped it downwards sharply. Karin grimaced as she could see the opponent getting knocked right back to earth something fierce. "That is what you do," She said after landing, "But it takes split-second timing. You can't think about how to do the move or how it's going to work, or even how high you have to jump. You have to essentially forget the move and let the body perform what it knows how to perform."

Karin nodded and said, "I understand. I'll train harder. Thank you very much."

Chun-Li smirked and said, "Hang on; I'm not done with you yet. Let's practice turning that hip over."

It was shown that Karin was the one that needed the most work and that Chun-Li focused on. Sakura could manage by herself for the moment, she figured, and so the day waned on until the sun began to set. Karin was many times the wiser, while Sakura had improved on her kick just a little. But she was a determined individual; they both were.

'Just keep on grinding and polishing the swords,' she thought to herself, 'and they will cut through anything that stands before them. I can't wait to see what their new moves are.'

* * *

Ryu was home when they got back… if one could call a hotel room home. At least it had everything they needed to get by, so one could call it something like that. "How was class?" he asked once they got back in.

Karin ran a hand through her hair and replied, "Informative. We learned a few new moves today, or at least started learning them. One hasn't really learned something until they unlearn it." When Ryu raised an eyebrow at this, Karin blushed. "It's something that Chun-Li says often."

Ryu smiled and said, "It's a good saying." He looked towards Sakura and said, "So what's the routine for you guys? I haven't really been paying attention; just kind of left you guys in her hands. I hope you'll forgive me for doing that."

Sakura shook her head and said, "No problem! There's nothing to forgive, and besides, it's fun!" She began describing their training schedule in detail, leaving Karin to head towards the bathroom and change clothes, hop in the shower, and all sorts of other pampering she needed to do. Ryu nodded at points in her story, taking note that yes, she was still training.

'This sounds promising. I'll have to face her one of these days for true.'

Ryu smiled and said, "Well I'm glad you guys are learning something. It's important to keep studying and reaching deeper inside for true strength. I figure if you're going to fight, that should be the reason; constant, continual improvement."

Sakura nodded and said, "I think so too. You find out so much about yourself. For example, I found out that I might be able to kick high, but I can't kick high in proper fashion. Take a look…"

She executed the same high kick that she attempted to do before, and slipped, falling on her behind again. She scratched the back of her head and said, "See? I keep on falling when I try and do it quickly."

Ryu placed a hand on his chin and said, "Well, are you gradually building up?"

She nodded and replied, "Yeah! I can do it up to this now…" She performed the kick at half speed without stumbling. Ryu smiled and said, "Not bad. Just keep doing it until you can manage to kick like she does. Is that going to be a part of your new move?"

While holding that position, Sakura nodded and said, "Yep! It's gonna be so awesome once I complete it."

Ryu chuckled and said, "Well, you're going to have to use it against me once you get it polished. Just remember that."

Sakura nodded and began practicing that kick, moving at half speed time and time again. She would practice all night if she had to, without sleep; even until Chun-Li showed up the next morning. She knew it was stupid, but she wanted to learn it as quickly as possible. Hundreds of thousands of repetitions were needed, and she would do every last one.

'I have such a great idea, but I need this move to start it off.'

* * *

The steam of the shower seemed to soothe her frayed nerve endings as she cleaned herself off, her mind in an entirely different place than the hot shower. Her ringlets were entirely gone now, replaced by a wet waterfall of gold. A distant part of her mind reminded her to get them set in later by a professional. But that part of her mind was quite far off; such trivial things did not concern her at the moment.

'Sakura… was holding me back all this time. Even after all those years, I have been fixated on keeping up with her.'

Perhaps her path did not lie through Sakura then, but something else. She had to find her own way. It would take some time to find what way that was, but she would have to do it. The problem was that she had no idea of the first step in doing that, and it frustrated her to no end. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, Karin turned the shower off and drained the water, stepping out onto the towel she had placed in front of the tub.

Within minutes, she was dried off and wearing her lace underwear along with a silk robe, dark blue in color. Running a brush through her hair, she once again thought back on what she had learned that day. How could Chun-Li see right through her, as if her defenses mattered nothing at all? If using her imagination, putting herself in someone else's shoes was all she did, then it certainly was not magic.

'And yet it felt like she had seen most of my life with her own eyes.'

Perhaps it was what made her an integral part of the ICPO. Whatever the case was, Karin found it spellbinding. 'She's like Sakura – she changes lives, and without even throwing a strike.' Of course, when she thought about that, her mind immediately remembered her bruised ribs, and Karin winced at the image that was trapped in her head. 'Still, I would not want to face her when she is truly serious. Her full strength could be a frightening thing.'

She exited the bathroom and said, "It's free if you want it, Sakura." She opened her eyes and saw her practicing the kick from earlier. "Or not, up to you."

Sakura halted what she was doing and said, "Thanks, Karin-chan! Pardon me, Ryu-sensei." She took her turn, locking the door behind her. Ryu turned towards Karin and noticed that she was… different. Not just in appearance, either; something within had changed.

Karin looked back at him and asked, "What? Is there something wrong?"

He smiled and said, "Nothing. You ready for tomorrow?"

She smiled and said, "Oh, more than ready. I'm starting to get used to all this waking up early. But I swear if it happens enough times, my sleeping pattern will be in pieces."

Ryu shrugged and said, "Better to rise early than to be caught sleeping, the moment having passed by while your eyes were closed."

Karin placed a hand on her chin for a moment, and then smiled. "Well, that was a clever way of putting it. You can think as well as you fight."

Ryu laughed and said, "That's the same thing someone else told me earlier. Strange, isn't it, how people can be connected like that?"

Karin nodded and said, "Yes, strange indeed."

Chun-Li and Sakura were the same, despite her desire to emulate Ryu. Who was she similar to, then? Who did Karin Kanzuki share a soul with? For the moment, she did not have the faintest idea, but she would find out. And then perhaps, she would find out a bit more about herself from observing whoever it was.

'I can't wait to find out.'

* * *

**Round 23 – **_**Motivations**_

Okay, that's it for this one. Obviously the focus for this chapter is Karin and her deep-seated reservations. I decided to tackle them in this chapter and give Karin a bit of a more in-depth look. Sakura, for the moment, is already established. We know how she works, how she thinks. But Karin is still unrefined and needs tuning. This is my chance to turn her volume up a bit.

Just goes to show you that this is turning into more than just a Sakura story. Sure, I'm still going to try my best to focus on her, but I can't help but branch out.

Again, thanks for reading! Cheers!

_You proved yourself!_


	24. Spiral Surge

_I have always wondered how the move worked._

_Being able to control so much energy at once is a major feat, and not to be taken lightly. Sometimes I ask myself how I'm able to generate such power in the first place. What exactly does it take to launch something like that at such a distance? How does one perform one of the most potent moves in the style that I use without overloading themselves? And why am I capable of such a task?_

_The answer, every time I ask, comes out as a simple, and yet complicated thing: because I can._

_I've spent so much time trying to copy the man I admire that I haven't thought about the mechanics behind what he does. Of course, once he started teaching me how they worked, my eyes were opened to a whole new set of possibilities. I could already change the color and potency of a normal Hadouken as well as what element it was._

_What could I do with something that was even stronger? Could I manage to completely master the move that I had picked up in only a year, and then take it to a higher level? When I asked myself these questions, my blood began to run hot. I could already feel my ki flowing faster through the pathways in my body, as if it were begging to be used in that way._

_I had to find out for myself. But first, I had to master the move in the first place!_

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

A woman of Japanese descent wearing a pair of slim-fitting jeans and a short-sleeved purple shirt was busy performing a series of punches and kicks on the roof of a hotel that was located in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, China. How she had gotten up here was not important, nor how she would get down. What mattered at the moment was the training of her techniques and moves.

The woman flew fifteen feet in the air with one fist leading, the air parting as she ascended upwards. Immediately on her landing, she began whirling through the air, one leg extended with her other six inches off of the ground. Upon landing from this move, she began throwing several punches at high speed, pushing off of her base before each blow. The telltale sound of the air making way for her fists could be heard, a sign that she was putting proper weight and force behind each blow. After faking to the invisible opponent's body, she immediately threw out a surge of energy from the palm of her right hand, sending the imaginary foe flying backwards.

Sakura had been practicing her high-angle side kick day in and day out along with her other moves, attempting to find some kind of balance on full execution. Her constant refinement of the move left no question as to when she would be mastering it. It had been eight days since their arrival in Hong Kong, and a week since they had started training.

She had been practicing that one kick for thousands of times each day for four days, and had since gone from half speed… to a higher level of study. The more effort one puts into something, the faster the results came forth in the end. Sakura was now at three-fourths of her full capacity for the move, and she would probably be able to execute at combat speed within the next few days.

It just proved that she wasn't just fascinated with fighting; she was obsessed with it.

But it wasn't to kill anyone; on the contrary. She wasn't obsessed with winning to the exclusion of the opponent's well-being. As long as everyone learned something in the end, it was all good. Besides, it wasn't her place to do anyone any harm. It might have been naïve, but… that was the way she worked.

Speaking of working, she was here on the rooftop of the hotel which she was staying in, training the moves she had learned. She did this every chance she could get, focusing on her kicks, strikes, elbows and knees, and using her ki to its full extent. Her Hadouken had more range and speed and force, and the stronger version of the move was able to be executed with a single hand now.

Of course with every move she threw, her ki output only seemed to increase as her body took on more and more of it. Ryu told her that every movement she made generated energy as well as expounding it – it was an action-reaction system. The more she fought the more ki that was available to her.

This one concept led to another; with enough ki stored in the body, one could perform feats that were beyond the level of human limits. Still, in order to do such things, one needed a strong will to move all that energy into one point and execute the desired action.

Right now, Sakura was building that energy for something she had done before… just not perfectly. But with what she had been taught about the Hadouken, this move became so many times easier in her mind. She could feel the energy rushing through her, powerful and strong, yet clear and untarnished.

'Showtime,' she thought to herself as she got into stance for the technique. Her mind slid back to her training in Japan…

"You have to remember," Ryu had told her, "That ki is everywhere. One can draw it in or push it out. This move that you're doing requires drawing it inwards from the very air itself. But first, you have to generate ki from your own body- that's the first step."

Sakura formed a Hadouken as her mind played the scene back, without a second thought.

"Then," he continued, "You use your will to pull in even more ki, but from outside. In order to do this, you have to be in tune with the flow of energy from everything and be able to make it move towards your direction. This takes a lot of work, and I'm surprised you could do it in just a year. Usually, it takes much, much longer."

"**Shinkuu**…" Sakura said as she began pulling in a great amount of energy from the very air itself… and bright blue streams of ki began to draw towards that which was collected in her hands, like a vacuum. She could feel the energy condensing as the sphere of ki in her hands began to grow larger and larger, to the point where it became almost too much to handle.

It was just enough for this technique…

"The third part is the most difficult," Ryu explained in her mind's eye, "And it's the problem I've seen with yours. You remember what I said about acceleration turning mass into force? Well this move requires you to be even faster than the normal Hadouken. It requires a lot of patience and effort to do, but once you get it done properly, this move can end a fight in one shot, and without killing the other person. With that said, once it connects, the ki draws its target inwards, causing them to lean right into the attack and get hit for multiple counts."

She had nary a doubt in her mind that she could execute this technique. Come to think of it, she never had any doubts in the first place, but that wasn't because she wasn't smart. It was because having those doubts never got one anywhere. Sakura took a moment to feel the energy in her hands; test its weight. 'It feels good. Let's do it!'

"…**Hadouken**!" she cried as she launched the surge forward, her body a blur as her hands extended forward before her front foot recovered from that small step forward. The air around the high-gauge shockwave seemed to move out of its path, and the sound was likened to a jet breaking the sound barrier.

Sakura recovered from her stance and watched it fly with such speed that she could barely see it move out of sight. She couldn't measure the distance, nor did she want to… she was just glad it worked properly for once! Sakura jumped up and down on her toes, entirely exhilarated. "_That was so cool_," echoed through the air, along with her laughter.

She knew that she could do that at least two more times before the ki she had built up was back to normal levels. Matter of fact… she could do just about anything she wanted until that happened. Sakura grinned and said, "All right! Let's do it again!"

This time, she attempted to time the drawing of ki with the formation of the initial surge. As a result, the sphere of energy grew to the appropriate size within seconds, and once it was finished, she immediately launched the surge forward, her body moving with blinding speed in one smooth, harmonious motion.

With equal speed and force as the first, yet another _Shinkuu Hadouken_ was brought to bear, and it made Sakura grin like a maniac. "This is just too awesome… Okay, I have at least one more before everything goes back to normal." She licked her lips and attempted to do something she had never done before.

'Now, if I can use my force of will to draw it in and push it out, then what else can I do? Nothing's going to happen until I let it go, so…'

She tried to plan the move out in her head, trying to find out what she could accomplish with the energy once she had it formed. It would take more ki than she had available to change its element; that much was for certain. It'd take the help of some kind of god to reach that level of power, and she didn't want to rely on that just yet.

'Better that I do something through my own strength first,' she thought to herself.

She had to think a bit on this. If the move didn't turn out the way she thought it would, it'd only spell disaster. She sat down on the roof and took a moment to watch the horizon, prepared to observe the sun rise. This would make one wonder how early she had woken up, and the answer was quite unnerving.

While everyone else was asleep, Sakura was up at three in the morning, two hours before Chun-Li came to pick them up. She had to get some training of her own in if she wanted to be truly prepared for the day ahead. She had performed this extraordinary feat without alerting anyone that she had gotten up early, and thus was able to get to the roof without further detection.

How she had gotten there was a different story altogether, and one that none would believe if they heard it, save for those who were capable of it and believed it possible.

Yet it is a tale for another time. For now, Sakura smiled as she fished her sunglasses out of the backpack that she had brought up with her. "This is a great way to start the day," she said cheerily as she observed the Hong Kong skyline, still filled with light from the city itself. "I just hope I get back before our teacher arrives. I don't want to miss breakfast!"

An hour and a half later, her phone rang. She raised an eyebrow as she picked it up, and heard Karin on the other line. "I thought you couldn't be sneaky, Kasugano. Where are you?"

Sakura grinned and said, "Enjoying the view. Let me guess- I have only a few minutes to get back to the room before she arrives, right?" She stood up and gathered her things. "I'm on my way now; give me five minutes."

Karin nodded on the other end and said, "Gotcha. No more than five, though; then I'm looking for you. If I find you somewhere that you're not really supposed to be, I'm going to wonder how exactly you got there without my notice." She didn't say whether she would be irritated or not. That would be left to Sakura's imagination.

The blonde hung up, making Sakura sigh to herself. "I always seem to make people worry one way or the other." She shrugged and said, "Maybe I'll bring Karin up here sometime to make up for it." With that, she folded her legs in lotus posture, straightened her back to just the right position, and began meditating.

The timer appeared in her head in big red numbers, and began winding down as she breathed. One would have considered it a period of sleep, had they not seen her energy patterns. Her aura was not at rest – it was consistently in motion even as she remained motionless. Soon, even those big red numbers faded into the background, and only the void remained.

Sakura began to do something that she had not tried during meditation before; something that she would not have considered had Ryu not told her about it. The energy that flowed through her could be expounded from just about anywhere, right? Well she would have to try that one out… so for the next five minutes, she did just that, finding different places to let her ki flow from. It was slow and careful, because she had no idea what would happen, but she found that she could literally allow any one of the gates on her body to open, and the energy simply came forth.

'Feels weird… kinda tickles!' And yet, she did not move. Well that was rather interesting. Sakura mentally shrugged and decided that she would see what happened if she allowed all the points to open at once. And she meant all of them.

She did just that, and though she couldn't see it, she certainly could feel it. Her body lit up like a fireworks show, and it felt like an electrical current was passing over her skin. But it wasn't in any sort of static shock or power surge. It was more like a strange, prickling sensation. What one would notice if they saw it up close was that a faint light blue light shone around her, radiating upwards and outwards.

'Too strange…' But it wasn't in a bad way.

She increased the dosage. The light wasn't so faint anymore. In fact, it lit up the early morning. Her aura shone visibly now, colored with her ki. If Ryu were watching, he would more than likely have half a heart attack from her discovery. Just because he wasn't there didn't mean he couldn't sense it though.

In the hotel room, the hair on the back of Ryu's neck stood on end, and his eyes widened slightly as his body responded to the sudden upturn of energy that came from… right above them? And it was a familiar energy too, one that he had bathed in for a while now.

'It's just never been this… _big_ before.'

Karin looked towards him and raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong?"

Ryu shook his head and said, "No. Just that I found out where Sakura is. She's on the roof, a few stories above us." Before Karin could ask how exactly she had gotten up there, he shook his head and said, "I don't know what she's up to, but whatever it is, it's definitely worth taking a look at later."

Karin shrugged and said, "As long as she gets here before it's time to go." Karin had a pair of black jeans on this time and a gray sweat shirt on; right on top of her white, short-sleeved silk shirt. The footwear had not changed, a pair of running shoes adorning her feet. "I don't want to be late because of…"

There was a knock on the door. Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "Well I sure hope that's not her already…"

The door was opened… and not only was it Chun-Li, but she had a familiar-looking brunette next to her. "Look who I ran into," Sakura said with a grin. The Chinese woman chuckled and said, "I don't know how she got out of the room without an escort, but she's lucky we ran into each other before she came in."

Karin sighed in relief and said, "I thought I was going to have to run a few extra miles for not being ready."

Chun-Li smiled and said, "Oh, I wouldn't make you do that." Before Karin could relax, Chun-Li shrugged and said, "There are much worse things I could put late students of your age through."

Cue sweat drop here. "Let's just go," Karin said, exasperated. "I'm hungry and need some breakfast."

Funny, she didn't care so much about running five miles anymore.

* * *

Chun-Li nodded as Sakura showed her progress on the kick that she was currently in the process of learning. She didn't know how long her student had been practicing, but it must have been some intense training. The Chinese master smiled and said, "Okay, stop for a moment. That was good; very good. You certainly are into this."

Sakura nodded excitedly and said, "I sure am! I have this one crazy idea in my head that I want to try out, but I want to get this kick down first. I have the other two parts already worked out, but if this one kick isn't properly executed, it could end up really costing me."

Chun-Li shrugged and said, "Well, whatever works for you. Just make sure that you use it at the right time. If it's a move no one's seen before, then they won't expect it when it finally comes out."

Sakura grinned and said, "That's the plan!" She executed the kick again, and in her excitement, launched it at full speed. She stumbled on her supporting foot, but only a bit this time. Chun-Li chuckled and said, "Not quite yet. I'd give you a few more days until you can stick it. Keep training."

Sakura nodded and performed the move with a bit more control the second time around.

Chun-Li headed over towards Karin, and was just in time to watch her in mid-air, turning her hip over nicely and landing on the supporting foot with ease. "And you," she said appreciatively, "Have been training just as hard." Karin stopped as Chun-Li closed the distance and said softly, "Hopefully, this time it's for no one else but you."

Karin smiled coyly and said softly, "I'm trying to work on that." She raised an eyebrow and said, "So I'm going to assume that the next part is the kick itself."

Chun-Li nodded. "The goal is," she explained, "To execute the kick when your hip turns over, at that exact moment. Like I said, it's just like a normal mid-air roundhouse kick. The leg itself will be thrown out, and then the momentum from the kick will be enough to carry you around completely, allowing the landing on the same foot you jumped off of."

Karin nodded and said, "I'll give it a try."

Chun-Li stepped back and placed her hands on her hips, observing calmly as Karin set herself, turned with one leg raised in the air, and then launched. She nodded as Karin turned her hip over, snapped the leg that she had jumped off of outwards in a fierce roundhouse kick, and landed on that same leg. She also took note that Karin's body weight was transferred completely into the move due to the fact that she didn't lean backwards as the kick was thrown.

Karin landed and bounced on her toes, grinning as she did so. "Well that wasn't so bad!"

Chun-Li smiled and nodded. "Well then, how about you do it again? And this time, do it twice in a row. You should have enough momentum to execute another one in the same direction if you do it properly." If she could do that, well, it would be all too simple to use the move for real. And there _was_ a way to use it in actual combat. She'd show her later… if she could pull this off.

Karin nodded and didn't take the time to set her stance this time. She felt confident enough that she could leap into the air without any preparation. She launched, turned over, and threw the kick… and then immediately afterwards, she turned on the supporting leg, leapt upwards, and threw another one. The blonde almost couldn't believe that she had done that, and sighed in relief. "It feels like I'm in a movie or something," She said with a giggle.

Yes, she could actually do that. She hadn't done it since she was a little girl, and she had rarely found time to laugh like that.

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Well, life is strange like that. To think that things you see in a movie or comic book could actually be done for real." She cleared her throat and said, "Now then, let's do the other variant. I trust you know the mechanics behind this one by now."

Karin knew what that meant, and knew that the crescent kick version of the move worked in similar fashion. She executed the kick in like fashion, performing the same move two more times before she settled back down and said, "Well do you think I have the hang of it?"

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Definitely. It seems that all you needed was that one tip and a few days of practicing it, and you were good to go. So then, do you know what else that crescent version can be used for?"

Karin placed a hand on her chin for a moment and said, "Well, besides countering an air attack, I doubt it would be of much use. I think the roundhouse would be a bit more effective, especially against someone taller than I am."

Chun-Li smiled and said, "One would think that, wouldn't they? That is, until one realizes where most of the energy from the kick is going." Quickly, without warning, she executed the kick in question, and then said, "That kick is headed downwards through the air. Imagine all that force landing on top of someone's head or shoulder."

Karin's eyes widened. "That could _really_ take someone down, couldn't it?"

The master smiled and said, "Yes it could. Glad you understand." Chun-Li folded her arms and said, "So have you thought of your move yet?"

Karin nodded and said, "I have. But I need one more thing in order to perfect it." She gave Chun-Li her most serious, sincere expression and said, "I need to understand how to use my energy. I mean, I'm not exactly going to be throwing it outwards or anything like that, but… I do need it for this specific technique."

Chun-Li raised an eyebrow and said, "Well I could teach you the basics, but it's up to you to develop it. How about we start with some Chi Kung? I trust you know what that is…"

Karin nodded. "It's a facet of Tai Chi, right?"

The teacher shook her head and said, "One would think that, but no. It's a facet of _any_ martial art." She smiled and began to explain. "Don't get me wrong, you're doing quite well with your own style. But I've noticed that it doesn't have any proper internal force to it. Your strikes are technical and fluid, but they don't generate the power that they really could."

Karin shrugged and said, "I just never thought I'd have any use for it. But actually seeing it in action and having felt the effects for myself…" She grimaced as she remembered getting hit by the _Hadouken_ once, and recalled the part of the test against Chun-Li where the _Kikouken_ had blasted into her. "…I'd like to at least try and tap into it."

After thinking on it for a few brief moments, Chun-Li nodded and said, "All right, I'll show you a Chi Kung form. It's a quite simple one, really."

Karin nodded and began to follow Chun-Li's movements carefully, just as slowly as she was performing them. It wasn't anything new to her – she had practiced Tai Chi before. But she had only done it for practical application and taken the techniques that she found the most useful. But as the two of them performed a form of silk reeling, she attempted to forget about how useful it was.

"Allow the mind to empty itself of thoughts," she said as they performed the exercise. "Don't force it. Your focus and intent should be on the exercise itself, and timing your breathing with the movements. The mind will take care of its own self, and when it does, you'll feel something that will seem odd at first. Don't shift your focus to that," she warned, "Continue moving and breathing."

Karin said nothing, simply continued her movements. Soon, Sakura came over to watch what they were doing, and she was about to say something when she noticed Chun-Li's energy flow. She smiled and watched them at work, seemingly unnoticed. She looked towards Karin and raised an eyebrow. 'Hmm, so she's starting to get a hold of her ki. I wonder what she's going to do with it.'

Whatever it was, Sakura was eager to find out.

Soon enough, they finished their routine and Chun-Li smiled towards Sakura. "I bet you thought I didn't see you there."

Sakura shook her head and said, "Nope! I knew you could sense me." She turned towards Karin and said, "Having fun there?"

Karin shrugged and said, "I would be if I could feel some results. But I suppose that's what training is for." She looked towards Chun-Li and said, "Can you show us a… demonstration, if you would? Not like I don't believe in it," she said as she once again remembered being hit by an energy attack several times, "Just that I'd like to see what you, personally, can do with it."

Chun-Li nodded and told the two of them to take a few steps back. After they got to a relatively safe distance, she began gathering her energy. She performed the same slow, graceful movements, the same fluid steps and stances. But Sakura knew what was happening. Her energy was building, like a coiled spring.

Karin raised an eyebrow. It was beautiful to watch, but she didn't quite see the point of it yet besides relaxation. "What is she up to?"

Sakura smiled and said, "You can't see what's going on. That's okay; something big is about to go down. Just watch."

Chun-Li was prepared, and lifted herself on one leg, spreading her arms wide. "_Haaaaaaah_…" Sakura could feel the pressure building, and her eyes widened in excitement. 'Here it comes.'

"**Kikoushou**," Chun-Li cried as she brought both arms forward and that raised leg down hard, forming a solid base for the massive sphere of energy. The air itself twisted and whirled around it, making it seem as if anything in its path would be drawn into the attack.

Sakura could not stop the grin that split her face from ear to ear. 'That's incredible… such control over something so big. She's much stronger than I am!' And as she watched, things seemed to slow down for her. Sakura raised an eyebrow and said to herself, 'Wait… it's turning? She can control her energy even before it's sent outward? Or is she making it do that even while it's being executed?'

She watched closely, the graceful and powerful form of her teacher giving her an idea. In reality, it took seconds to finish, but for Sakura Kasugano, that was all she needed. Chun-Li stood up from her heavy stance and sighed contently. She didn't even look worn out. "So that's how it works for me."

Karin's eyes were wide. 'She's the strongest woman I've ever seen… there's no way I can keep up.' Then she mentally shook that thought off and said, 'No, it's bad to compare myself to everyone else. My only opponent is myself. Have to remember that…'

Sakura clapped her hands and said, "That was sweet!"

Chun-Li bowed and said, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. So then," she said as she looked towards Karin, "Do you understand the importance of using chi now?"

Karin nodded and said, "That was a very frank reminder. Thank you very much,_ Chun-Li lao shi_."

Chun-Li raised an eyebrow and said, "Someone's been teaching you Chinese."

Karin blushed slightly and said, "Just a little. I owe it to a good friend of mine that I can even say that much."

* * *

Of course, when the day was over, Sakura wanted to try out her new idea right away. She wasn't one to rest on her laurels when it came to new tricks; no, she was going to make this move her own, and without Ryu's help. It wasn't that she didn't want him to teach her; on the contrary, nothing was better in her opinion. She just really, really wanted to impress him.

'Well, that and throw a mean wrench into the game plan of any opponent that happens to square off against me,' she thought with a chuckle. As the sun set, Sakura settled into her heavy stance, preparing to throw out another _Shinkuu Hadouken_.

The preparation was the same: form the surge, gather the energy at the same time… but then she attempted something different. The plan in her mind unfolded in real time as she used her will to begin twisting the surge that she had collected in her hands, manipulating it to the point where it became a helix. With that, she launched the attack forward in a blur of motion, not even giving the experiment a name just yet.

"**HAAAAH**!"

The surge flew forward, forcing the air to twist and coil around it even as it moved through the air with blinding speed. Like a bullet fired from the barrel of a gun, it cut through the air with multiplied force, and she expected that whatever was in its path would not only be drawn into the attack, but would be slammed into even more times than the move she had taught herself so long ago.

Sakura cried out exuberantly, "_**It worked**_!" With a triumphant leap into the air, she reveled in the success of discovering a new move, once again without any sort of instruction. Her blood ran hot as her hands remembered the feel of the surge as it twisted and turned. Sakura clenched her fists and said, "I've gotta do that again, just one more time!"

She made an attempt to calm herself, breathing slowly and deeply, and began gathering her energy again. The slow, graceful movements that Ryu had taught her began, and the ki within her began to move faster, multiplying in force and potency. Within seconds, she felt as if she was full of the energy around her, and prepared to unleash her new move again.

This time, she formed the sphere of ki first, and then began causing it to spin as the energy was drawn from the air around her. Sure enough, ki was sucked inwards at a far more dramatic rate than a normal _Shinkuu Hadouken_. But this time, she gave her attack a name; a voice. "**Rasen**…"

She was ready within mere moments. With a wide grin, she stepped forward, pushed off of her back leg, and let it fly. "…**Hadouken**!" This time, the move rammed forward like a bullet train, the spiraling ki moving at an impressive clip. Sakura got out of stance and said, "Bingo! Already a new move and I owe it all to Chun-Li! It might not be the one I first worked on, but it's still a new move!"

Now all she had to do was try it out… but not yet. No, not until she could get a good place to fight Ryu, somewhere no one would get hurt. She made her way back towards the elevator that led towards the lower floors and said, "I can't wait to show him! We're gonna have the best fight ever!"

* * *

As soon as she got back to the room, Ryu was waiting for her with a raised eyebrow. "I've been sensing your ki from the roof… what are you up to, Sakura?" He didn't sound angry, just curious, and a bit confused.

Sakura winked and said, "You'll have to find out later." She stretched her arms above her head and said, "Seriously though, I feel refreshed. It's as if we didn't have class today!"

Karin rolled her eyes and said, "Well I sure hope I can be as… cheery as you after all that. I'm still sore."

Ryu chuckled and said, "It's nothing that a bit of rest won't cure. Why don't you guys turn it in early? I'm sure you deserve it. You can get dinner later, if you want."

They both nodded, and prepared themselves for bed. Sakura however, had other plans.

_Dear Kei,_

_It's been so long since I've written anything! How have you been? I can't wait to start taking pictures again and sending them to you guys. But first things first; we're here in Hong Kong, and it's a beautiful place. Good food, good friends, and most of all, good training! We're having a lot of fun up here, and you'll never guess who Ryu got to teach us: Chun-Li._

_If you don't know who that is by now, I suggest you put your powers of research to work. She entered the ICPO's Hong Kong branch at age eighteen and became known as their secret weapon, with legs moved faster than the fastest punch and an expert markswoman to boot. She took down an entire criminal organization on her lonesome, without any hope for backup._

_You know how I am, right? Whenever there's someone strong nearby, I just can't help but ask them for a spar? Well earlier this week, she challenged Karin and me to a match, and we got our asses handed to us. But later, she said that we had good skills already, and they just needed fine-tuning. What an honor, to be told something like that from a Sanda champion!_

_By the way, I hear that she's got a few guys on the lookout for Gouki. That's going to save us some time when he pops up. He'll be too preoccupied with being tracked to even think about chasing us all over the place; at least, that's the plan. If that one fails… well, I don't want to think about what happens if that fails!_

_Are you still studying hard? I sure hope so; you wouldn't be the Kei I know without your studying! And I hope Akio is still as fun to tease as ever. If he reads this, let him know that I miss him as much as I miss you._

_As I said before, I promise that I'll start taking pictures again when I have time for it. Until then, please write back to me!_

_Still your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

* * *

**Round 24: **_**Spiral Surge**_

OH YEAH! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Brand new move, served up nice and fresh. And I haven't even shown what it can do outside of the spin yet! To be honest, I want to save that for my own little surprise when the time comes. In the meantime, enjoy the spectacle!

We have yet another addition to the growing list of people watching this story. Honestly, I can't thank you guys enough for just looking at it, but to know you actually enjoy it means even more. Let's face it, I write for you, the fans, who are secretly looking for that better story, that other side. To demonstrate what happens when one goes from _aficionada_… to something bigger.

But I write this for myself too; don't mistake it.

Once again, cheers.

_There's a devastating attack coming up, I can feel it!_


	25. Internal Force

_In a street fight, when there are no rules and no referees, anything can happen._

_It's a self-defense situation, and one not to be taken lightly. The opponent could carry anything, from knives to sticks to longer blades; they could even carry handguns and rifles. It's a dangerous prospect for any martial artist. If your wallet is all they want, give it to them and call the police. If they want something else, then one is in more trouble than one could figure._

_But that doesn't mean that one should be afraid of the situation. On the contrary; this is the point when one must be the most centered. All of one's reflexes have to come into play for an effective defense against a deadly weapon. The less burdened the mind is, the faster the body can respond to situations that arise. This is why we train; so that when the time comes, we're ready for anything that is thrown our way._

_The old axiom 'train as you fight' comes into play here, and it's something that one should live by when practicing their moves. While not all moves work in all situations, one should practice them all anyway, so that when a situation comes along when a move will work, guaranteed, he or she will use it without a thought entering their minds._

_Still, one shouldn't fight to kill. Everyone deserves a chance at redemption. A broken arm or leg isn't bad, though. It'll certainly stop them from hurting you!_

-Excerpt from "Principles of Effective Self-Defense", by Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

* * *

The sounds of children laughing could be heard in Wan Chai's Golden Bauhinia Square as they chased a blonde woman of Japanese descent around in circles, attempting to catch her. There were a good ten of them attempting to perform this task, and though she was faster, she danced just inside of their reach, tantalizingly close, and yet so far away.

While one would not see a smile on this particular woman's face in this situation, she had one today. It was quite simple why she was so happy to be around all these children that she couldn't really understand, but in order to see the simplicity, one has to go back to the very beginning of the day.

The run was in the Central District this time, specifically Hong Kong Park. As they headed through the pathways of the scenic landscape, Chun-Li began another lesson. "Anything can be a Chi Kung exercise as long as one remains mindful of what one is doing. An example here is just… running, like this. The key is to put oneself in alignment."

She stopped running, as did Sakura and Karin, and she said, "Okay, first things first. I want you to do something that you normally wouldn't do, given your training. Lean your hips forward so that your weight transfers to your toes instead of just over your heels."

They did, and Sakura stuck her tongue out. "Feels like I'm almost off-balance, but not quite. I feel like I have to work just to stay on my feet." Karin nodded in agreement. "It's not exactly the proper way to stand, is it?"

Chun-Li nodded and began pressing down on their shoulders. Their hips leaned forward even further and their muscles complained slightly. "And this is what happens when you aren't standing up straight, and I mean really, truly straight. The muscles aren't exactly the best things for support."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "All right, get back into alignment. Get those shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, all in a straight line."

They did, and Chun-Li attempted to push down on them again. She ended up lifting herself into the air each time. "See what I mean? You don't really ask yourself why you do what you do, you just do it. But this; this is why. You're not just supporting your own weight, but mine as well. Best part is that it doesn't take any effort at all to do."

Karin nodded and said, "I don't feel any pressure at all, really."

She stopped doing what she was doing and said, "Let's take it one step further. Karin, please don't panic, all right? Sakura, step back for a bit."

Karin couldn't help but be a bit nervous as Sakura did what she was asked, but then she breathed deeply and cleared her mind of it. She couldn't feel a thing at all as Chun-Li settled atop her shoulders with both hands… and then raised her legs over her head like some kind of circus performer. She was basically doing a handstand on Karin's shoulders.

"Feel anything yet?" She asked without a moment's pause.

Karin shook her head and said, "No, not at all! What exactly are you…" she looked up and saw Chun-Li staring down at her. "Whoa."

The master grinned and said, "Balance is the first step. Good posture can be evident in every movement one makes." She set herself down onto the ground again and continued her lecture. "The second step is relaxation, which aids balance even further. I don't really need to show you that though, do I? When the muscles are relaxed, movement becomes smooth, flowing, and effortless."

Chun-Li smiled as her students nodded attentively. "Now the final step is even simpler, and comes about due to the first two. All you have to do is lean forward…" She did so, just slightly, "And the body will simply move by itself." Lo and behold, it did, and she began moving without the aid of any sort of muscles at all. She stopped after a few feet and said, "It's the momentum of gravity that moves the body instead of the body moving all by itself."

Sakura grinned and said, "And that's why you're not tired after we run, isn't it?"

Chun-Li nodded and said, "That's exactly right. There's a fourth part to it that ties the other three together and makes this a Chi Kung exercise. It's also the part that's somewhat difficult. Can you guess?"

Karin knew the answer already. She had done a few of these exercises with her before. "One's breathing."

The Chinese master nodded. "That's right. Time your breathing with your footfalls, your heartbeat if need be. If your mind is preoccupied with anything but the run, then the whole thing is merely running and not circulation of energy. Clear the mind and the breathing will come on its own, as will the energy."

She turned her back towards them and said, "All right, let's try it out. Come on!"

For the rest of the run, they ran in silence, and over time a soft smile developed on Karin's face as her mind cleared itself out. A strange feeling came over her at that moment, and though she couldn't quite describe it, she certainly felt that she could run without pause or rest. 'This is what Sakura feels when she does this, isn't it?' Karin realized.

It felt nice, and she decided that it was how she always wanted to be.

Afterwards, as they had breakfast, Sakura asked, "So anything can be treated like this, right?"

Chun-Li nodded. "Any sort of situation can be used as a sort of Chi Kung exercise. But you have to remember that it's difficult to treat a fight like this. There's a constant inclination of the body to lose its relaxed state, its alignment, and to change its breathing patterns. If you want to be like this in a fight, and thus be able to execute the movements without pause and at full capacity, then you must train almost constantly."

Sakura nodded while Karin remained silent. So then, anything could be treated as a kind of meditation? It sounded like something that only a master could achieve, and yet here it was, so very simple. She looked towards her teacher after a few moments of her head looking towards the table and said, "What exactly do you mean by anything?"

Chun-Li raised an eyebrow and said, "I mean _anything_. You can turn the mundane into something extraordinary, and make the complicated into effortless tasks. And if you want an example…" She smiled and said, "Well I'll give you one. For now, let's finish eating."

* * *

It was lunch time, and that meant a break from training. As the children were busy playing around, turning flips and chasing each other in the square, Karin looked at Chun-Li with a raised eyebrow. "So you're going to have us do what again?"

Chun-Li replied, "Play around. It'll be good for you, trust me. You sound like you don't approve, though… Sakura certainly doesn't mind." The woman in question scratched the back of her head and said, "Just as long as none of them are brats like my little brother is, I'm good with it. Besides, it looks like fun!"

Karin placed a hand on her cheek and sighed. "I never did have any siblings. I've been wondering if that's been the source of all the trouble."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "That could possibly be the case in this situation. If it is, you just need to consider these children your brothers and sisters, perhaps even Sakura as one. It's like I said before, use your imagination."

Karin said nothing, wondering how exactly she could do that… and then immediately realized that she was basing this whole thing on logic. Imagination was not supposed to be logical. There was no how or why to it. And yet, her mind tried to get a grasp on it. Why did it always tend to do that? She shook her head and said, "I'll give it a shot, but don't expect anything right away."

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Well, go ahead. We'll be right here."

Karin looked towards her teacher and said, "We?"

Sakura grinned and said, "_You're_ done with lunch already! You might as well get going, right?"

The blonde sighed and stood. "All right, if you say so." For some reason or other, she felt nervous, as if she were stepping onto a playground for the first time. 'I feel like such a child when it comes to these things.' And just then, something in her head clicked. Maybe that's what she needed, to treat this whole thing as if she were a child? 'Well, there's only one way to find out.'

"Hey," she called out, causing some of the children to stop for a moment. "Anyone wanna try and catch me? I'll give you something good if you do!" She didn't know what exactly that was yet, but she'd think of something later. Her mind seemed to reel against this; this was entirely crazy. They'd be all over her like a pack of banshees.

For once, she told her brain to shut up and shut off. It refused her commands, but she stood firm anyway. For a moment, the children simply stood there, looking at her as if they saw something quite strange. Then, they all seemed to grin at the same time as they came running towards her. Karin immediately began moving; not exactly as quickly as she could, though.

And as her head continued chatting on to how silly all this was, Karin continued moving, ignoring her thoughts altogether. They would pass sooner or later. She tried breathing in order to keep them at bay, even as she was being chased around by a bunch of highly energetic kids that were all smiles and frantic legs.

She noticed how silly they all looked, trying to run after someone who was far faster than they were. And yet they tried their best, ignorant of her superiority, constantly attempting to catch what could not be caught unless it stopped moving. Karin smiled, and her mind began to silence itself. Weren't they like that, too? Her and Sakura, that was. Of course, as soon as she realized that…

'Everyone's like this. They just refuse to accept it.' Much like she did.

She grinned. Her mind had finally ceased its chatter. And now she could see it; if she had a little brother or sister who was as crazy and carefree as these kids were, how much better off would she have been? Or, on the other side of the coin, how much worse would that child have been, growing up in a house like hers?

But that last thought had no say here.

Time seemed to pass without her knowledge of it, and the only thing that stopped her was Chun-Li clapping her hands to get their attention. "Break time's over! We need to get moving again, everyone!"

Karin blushed visibly as she snapped back to reality. Had she completely lost herself? How had she been acting all this time? And why did Sakura have that smile on her face? With her head lowered, she walked away from the children that gathered around Chun-Li and sat down next to her brunette friend, refusing to say a word.

"You looked so cute out there," Sakura said with that same grin on her face.

"Oh, shut up," Karin muttered.

"Seriously though," Sakura said, "How was it? Did you have fun playing?"

Karin was still silent, but only for a few moments. She nodded and said, "Yes. I did have fun, and it still feels strange. Even now, I wonder what exactly I was doing while I was in that frame of mind. Until Chun-Li called everyone to attention, it didn't feel like there were eyes on me or anything. But once it happened…"

Sakura finished the sentence for her, but in her own way. "You turned as red as a ripe tomato?" She laughed and said, "That's why you let go of things, Karin-chan! Don't be so serious about everything and just enjoy it. I noticed that you think too much, and that's not entirely good for you. Sometimes you just have to wing it!"

Karin smiled and said, "Is that so? Well I suppose that's what you could call what I was doing at that moment." She looked towards Sakura and said, "I never did get how you could go through life without anything bothering you until now. You don't let your mind doubt or complain once, do you?"

Her friend nodded. "There's no sense in it. Everyone thinks I'm ditzy or stupid, and I don't mind that. In fact, I laugh at 'em when they realize I'm smarter than I look!" She giggled and continued with, "I just don't feel that there's a need to complain about every little thing that comes along."

Karin nodded and said, "Then I'll keep that in mind for future reference."

The conversation was swiftly broken up with Chun-Li calling them out. "Hey, what are you two just sitting there for? Let's go, we're wasting daylight!"

* * *

Ryu was not present when they got back later that evening, and the two women wondered why. Sakura was not worried; her main teacher (or at least, that's what she still called him) would be fine on his own. He never got himself into any trouble, though it certainly seemed to find him. When it did though, he always managed to get out of it.

"So what's for dinner?" Sakura asked with a tilt of her head as she closed the door behind them. Karin looked behind her and said, "Do I always have to determine what to eat? Please call room service on your own this time, okay?"

Sakura pouted and said, "But you always know how to pick the good stuff!" But she dialed anyway, since she felt obligated to do something for Karin. Of course, she ordered a large pizza with all sorts of toppings on it; olives, bell peppers, mushrooms, extra cheese, beef… it was enough to make Karin's eyes widen in shock.

"I don't think they can fit that much on a pizza, Sakura," She said a bit worriedly.

Sakura grinned and said, "But wouldn't it be awesome if they could? I want to see if they can pull it off! And I bet it'll be delicious." Her stomach growled in agreement and a bead of sweat rolled down the right side of Sakura's face. "At least, I sure hope so!"

Karin sighed and said, "I'm just glad you ordered drinks with that," she said as she pulled out her credit card. She was lucky that her bank account didn't even feel the bite of these expenditures. "I doubt we'd be able to down all that without them." She looked out the window, the curtains wide open and letting in the light of the setting sun.

She considered everything that happened today, letting it set in her mind. She finally had a hold of how to harness her inner power, and never thought that it would be so simple. She would have to forget all about Sakura and her being any kind of rival. It was the only real thing holding her back, as far as she could tell. She wasn't worried about her father; she was her own woman, and a financially secure one at that.

'I'll have to think of her as just a friend if I want to ever center myself. Heck,' she added with a small smile, 'She might as well be the sister I never had.'

Sakura could sense Karin's energy shifting, and she smiled to herself. 'She did well today. I wonder what her new move is gonna be? Whatever it is, it's bound to be something incredible.' She stretched her arms over her head and decided to lay down for a bit, staring up at the ceiling. To be honest, there was nothing to do or say without Ryu being there… not that she didn't like Karin, just that she loved hanging around with Ryu a bit more.

Karin had something to tell her, though. She knew it, and she was waiting for it to come out. It was only a matter of time. But time passed and the blonde continued looking out the window, her eyes distant and unfocused. Sakura looked over towards her and began to speak when a knock was heard on their door.

She knew it wasn't him; his energy was a familiar thing to her by now. In fact, she figured she could sense him just about anywhere now… but she would try to do that later. Right now, her stomach growled eagerly. Oddly enough, Karin's did at the same time, and she chuckled. "I might not like the idea of a fully loaded pizza, but my good friend here says otherwise," she said as she headed towards the door.

The pizza was paid for and cracked open, and the smell was heavenly to both ladies. They each took a plate and dug in, with Karin finding the taste to be just as good as the scent. "Looks like they pulled it off after all, and made it excellent," the blonde said with a content smile.

Sakura grinned and said, "I knew they could! I wonder if it was any trouble for them."

Karin shook her head and said, "Oh, they're professionals, Sakura. They can do anything they please with something as simple as a pizza." She took another bite out of her slice and said, "Seriously though, where is Ryu? He really should be sharing this with us. I'm sure he'd be in for a bite of this as well…"

Sakura figured that this would be a good time to find out where her sensei was located, and so she put down the slice of pizza and closed her eyes, clearing her mind and stretching out her perception beyond the walls of the hotel. Karin raised an eyebrow, wondering what Sakura was up to.

As unskilled as Sakura was at this, it took her a few minutes to seek him out, and Karin finally said, "What exactly are you trying to do?" But she didn't get an answer.

A total of five minutes passed before she opened her eyes suddenly. "He's in Kowloon…"

Karin's eyebrows rose. "You mean you were looking for him? And what's he doing all the way _there_?"

Sakura shrugged and said, "No idea, but I'm sure he'll be fine. He probably just took the ferry out of Causeway Bay." That first part was a lie, except for the comment about him being fine. She knew what he was up to; he was looking for a fight. He hadn't done so in a while, and so this was his excursion. As long as he didn't run into Gouki again, he was fine.

Just the thought of him was enough to make that shiver run along her spine all over again. But she had to release this fear of him; he practiced the same art, and thus she knew how to counter his basic tactics already from sparring with Ryu. It didn't mean she wanted to face him, but when she did, she would know how to deal with him.

At least, she hoped so.

The deluxe pizza was halfway finished though, and he hadn't come back yet. Ever optimistic, Sakura headed to bed with Karin, wondering what exactly Ryu was up to if he were this late. Still, she figured he was in the middle of something crazy. She certainly hoped that he was getting a good night's sleep this evening. The rest of the pizza of course, was for him.

'Wherever you are Ryu-sensei, I believe in you! Good luck…'

* * *

Tsim Sha Tsui was bustling in the evenings. The various shops and restaurants were in full swing, and the streets were crowded as usual. As the sun set, a certain restaurant was full as well, and it was a very notable one, for it was here that two considerably beautiful ladies named Hoimei and Shaomei served as waitresses in this considerably popular eatery, the Rising Dragon Palace.

Of course, there were two young men who worked there as well… though not so much in serving tables as they were bodyguards and bouncers. Sure, they acted as waiters as well, but it was a side job. They were well known as well, all through the district, as the so-called guardians of the area. It was a reputation that they lived up to time and time again as they constantly broke up the fights between rival Triad gangs on their lonesome.

Some called them the Twin Dragons.

And right now, they were wearing aprons and moving around like fish through a sea of tables and people, serving up hot food with an almost uncanny grace. One man at one specific table, who was lucky enough to get in before the place was full, noticed this as a mark of something no one else could have seen but him, and others like him.

'They're fighters.'

Ryu had indeed been looking for people to fight; he hadn't been doing so since his arrival in Hong Kong. But thus far, most, if not all of his challenges had ended up with his opponent being too… well, insufficient, for lack of a better term. He had walked into one dojo after another, and after finding no one that would provide him with a challenge, found that it was growing dark before he even realized it.

"There ya go," his waiter said as he pulled up to his table. Ryu looked at the young man with a small braid tied at the base of his skull, a blue baseball cap, and a white silk shirt. Black pants, equally black shoes, and arms that were ripped. Ryu nodded slightly and said, "Thanks. I appreciate it. It's been a long day."

The young man grinned and said, "You can say that again!" Someone called out to him and he said, "Gotta go!"

Ryu looked towards him and smiled. 'That one's interesting. Maybe later I can challenge him.' For the moment, he enjoyed his steamed pork buns along with the rest of his meal. He saw the other one, dressed in a red top instead of a white one, walk up to the one in the baseball cap and pull him aside. He didn't know what they were talking about, but it was none of his business in the long run.

"Yun," the man in red said softly, "That guy you just served… he's strong."

The one in the baseball cap looked behind his right shoulder and saw Ryu eating quietly. "What, that guy? I couldn't sense anything from him. You sure you're tuned up today, Yang?"

Yang smirked and said, "You can't sense anything at _all_, dude. But seriously, don't be rash. I know how you can be when it comes to a fight. That guy has a really powerful aura around him, the likes of which I haven't seen in a long time."

Yun grinned. "Is that so…? Well, we'll just have to find out."

He began moving towards Ryu again when Yang grabbed onto his collar and yanked him back to his position. "Not while we're working. Besides, it's late, and he's probably tired. Shop's gonna be closing soon, anyway; not a good time for a fight." He folded his arms and said, "Plus, we don't want to go wrecking the place again."

Yun sighed and said, "You're no fun. What's a good fight without breaking a few tables or chairs?"

His brother glared at him and said, "Don't make me smack you, man. Now let's get going."

They were about to part ways and get back to work when Hoimei approached from behind, tapping Yang gently on his right shoulder. He turned to look over it and found her with an exasperated expression on her features. "Guys, those drunks are back again! They're making a scene… the customers are getting scared!"

Yang rolled his eyes and said, "What, that wannabe Triad and his buddies? Doesn't he learn from his mistakes?"

Yun grinned and said, "Hah, I've been _waiting_ to kick his ass again! It's so much fun."

Hoimei sighed and said, "Just don't break anything like last time. My dad will be pissed if you do!"

Yun glared at her and said, "Hey, we didn't break all that much last week! The fight went outside well before the third table was smashed."

Yang however, did not hear them. He was already on his way towards the table in question. As soon as he reached it, the man in question was indeed, drunk. "Already tanked, Liang? Just don't make me have to drag you out of here again instead of you walking out on your own two feet."

The man grinned maliciously and said, "Well if it isn't the prince of brats, Yang Lee. Where's your punk-ass brother at? I want to repay him for the three broken ribs he gave me. And don't think you're off the hook either – my men were disgraced because of you!"

Yang smirked and said, "Your men aren't _men_ at all. I kicked their asses around like they were back at the school yard. Now, unless you want that to happen again, I suggest you pack up your belongings and head out of the restaurant in an orderly fashion, before I make you."

Liang frowned distastefully and said, "You go ahead and do that. You'll be bringing the wrath of the guys I work for down on your heads this time. Don't underestimate the Triads!" All the men at the table glared at him, demonstrating that they were most certainly not in the mood to play around.

Yang sighed and said, "Well, I tried being nice… But do me a favor, okay? For the sake of the restaurant, please step outside this time. That is, if you can stand on your own two feet…"

Yang began walking out, and Yun joined him soon. "Hey, is it goin' down?"

Yang nodded. "I think I've riled 'em up enough." Sure enough, he could sense the men standing and following them out, much slower than the two Lee brothers were. He smirked and said, "Now what's the first rule about drinking, Yun?"

Yun grinned and said, "Don't!"

And all the while, Ryu looked over his left shoulder, counting how many men there were. There were a good seven or eight of them against two… not fair odds. 'I have to do something about this. They're wasted, but even a drunk man can fight if he has some skill.'

Ryu stood without finishing his dinner and began following the group as surreptitiously as possible. As soon as he got outside, the two brothers stood back to back in their fighting stances. They were surrounded and outnumbered, and while Yun had that grin on his face, Yang was the more composed with his stony expression.

"This time, you're not getting away," Liang chortled. "I brought some reinforcements! It ain't just these eight; you'll find out soon enough!"

Ryu grimaced as he prepared to leap into the battle at any time, but what was said next made him pause.

Yang actually smiled at this. "Good. Because we'll get to prove that numbers don't mean shit. The strength of one's Kung Fu is all that matters. You must have forgotten who we are…"

Yun boldly made his introduction. "The Wind Gust Dragon with the speed of a typhoon, Yun Lee!"

Yang chuckled and followed up with, "The Water Storm Dragon with the power of a tidal wave, Yang Lee."

They prepared themselves, each raising one leg and balancing on the other in perfect unison, without even looking at each other. "_We're_ the ones who are gonna win this, no matter _how_ many there are!"

* * *

**Round 25: **_**Internal Force**_

And there they are! Yun and Yang appear for the first time in the fic. And it looks like they're about to deliver a hardcore beat down to some lowlifes. Will Ryu even be able to get a word in edgewise in this upcoming battle? Are the two of them really capable of taking on a small army of Triads by themselves? Well you'll just have to wait and see.

Once again, a big thanks to all my readers. You make these chapters possible! Hopefully you guys will be as interested in this one as I am, because I'm fired up about it. I can't wait to write this fight next chapter! As always, stay tuned for more action, more excitement, and more Sakura.

_We've got two supreme fighters lined up. This is going to be one hell of a show!_


	26. Gouki Strikes!

_My good friend, when we were in high school, gave me a good piece of advice. It should be in a book that includes the quotes of the great philosophers of past ages, as far as I'm concerned, and it's something I always take to heart every day. They were a few simple words that make me break out in one of the best facial expressions every time I recall it, and they are the basis of my life._

"_I don't know anything about a good fight, but I know almost too much about a good smile."_

_Aren't those some strong words, even though they aren't meant to be? A smile can turn anyone's day around. The grouchy are confused, the aggressive lose strength, the disheartened are uplifted, and the joyful are given even more joy. It's even better if you laugh and mean it, really mean it! Laugh towards someone, not exactly __at__ someone, and they will either ask why in confusion, or laugh back in response._

_This even works in a situation where a smile or a laugh isn't normally necessary. In a fight, start out polite, and wear a smile to greet your opponents. Their aggression and hate will break like waves on the shore, and while they're staring at you in confusion, wondering why their glares aren't working, you've already started your attack with surprising alacrity and hidden assertiveness._

_I absolutely love smiling, and I do it as often as I can. Why? Because a smile should be part of one's training, and not just in the martial arts. A smile is a powerful weapon that can put a crack in the most stony heart, and outright break any that are made of ice._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

The two young men were rushed all at once from seven different angles, mob style. Four headed towards the one with the baseball cap, while the other three went straight towards the one with the red silk shirt. Both groups met with simultaneous attacks from the two fighters trapped in the center and were subsequently knocked down.

Yang pulled out a back spin kick, his heel ramming into the assailants that came towards him, while Yun swept the legs of his attackers out from under him in one clean, efficient movement. The two of them immediately leapt into the air and sent their right foot crashing on the nearest baddie, cutting seven to five in one harmonious movement.

The others in each group had gotten up by then, but it was a bit late to stage a counter-attack on Yang's end. With a speed that was untraceable by the naked eye, he headed towards the next target, rolled underneath the incoming knife attack, and rammed his right foot into the solar plexus, springing off of one hand as he did so. The kick had enough force behind it to connect twice, sending the man flying.

Yun had a harder time of it, having to dodge and defend against two more attackers. And yet, he had the crazy grin on his features. "Geez, you guys are persistent," he laughed as the three attackers on his end attempted to gut him like a fish. "Maybe you should lighten up a bit? Like me!" He rammed his right elbow into the man in the center, sending an immediate jolt of pain through him as it landed. Immediately after, a straight punch and a double-palm strike followed, the third one with a very notable stomp accompanying it.

The poor bastard was sent flying ten feet towards the nearest wall.

Ryu, who was watching the whole thing, immediately noticed what this style was. 'That's hakkyokuken. There are only a few other styles that can generate that much force up close… but none so much as this one.'

Yun immediately grabbed onto the man to his left, vaulted over his shoulders, and lunged forward with his left fist. The attack slammed into the man's upper back, right onto the spine, and he was sent flying into the guy right next to him. One face collided into the other, and the resulting impact with the ground rendered them both unconscious.

Liang was starting to get irritated already. "Get more guys down here, don't let them disgrace you!"

Immediately, several more Triads jumped down from the nearby rooftops, brandishing knives, machetes, and baseball bats. Yun scratched the back of his head and said, "Didn't know I was that much of a celebrity." He took his fighting pose again and said, "Okay then, come and get it."

Yang was finished with his group, having succinctly squared the last man away with several pinpoint strikes to the energy points in his body. "Simple and effective," he said before looking towards Yang and gritting his teeth. "Damn, told you not to get too reckless!"

He moved at his full speed, knowing perfectly well he wasn't going to make it in time, at least not before Liang warned them. "Kill the little bastard," the drunk said coldly. "Make his brother watch him _die_."

They sprung… and then it happened.

"**Tastumaki Senpuukyaku**!"

Three men were blasted forwards at just the wrong angle by a powerful, sweeping kick, and it gave Yun just enough time to leap up and over the rest. They were knocked down and out as Ryu landed on the balls of his feet, settling into a fighting stance. "I think that's far enough. I can't let this continue."

Yang halted his forward movement and raised an eyebrow. 'It's that guy…' He smiled and said, 'I knew he was strong. This'll even things up a bit.'

Yun looked behind him, a tad irritated. "Hey, I could have taken them!"

Ryu shrugged and said, "Six on one is not exactly what I call good odds." Ryu looked up towards the rooftops and said, "Besides, there are more of them coming. This man really is a Triad after all if he can call up this much manpower."

Yun grimaced and said, "Then we gotta take him out and get him off our turf! Yang…?"

The young man in the red silk shirt was already moving towards Liang. "That's enough of the phone calls, prick." He immediately lunged forward, executing a forward sweep of his left arm. A visible streak of blue light that was deceptively powerful trailed after his hand, and Ryu could sense the ki in the attack.

'So he knows how to use his energy as well. He's good too.'

Liang was thrown off balance by the speed of the attack, and seeing as he was already drunk, he had no chance of dodging in time. The attack connected, biting into his thick flesh before two more immediately came forth. The combination attack dumped the fat man onto the ground, and his phone clattered to the street nearby.

Any further communications with nearby gang members was cancelled when Yang stomped on his phone with the heel of his left foot, crushing it entirely. "Are you leaving yet?"

Liang grinned and said, "Not until I see your blood on the street."

Yang suddenly looked behind him and found himself faced with five men, armed with weapons that were designed to beat the crap out of someone, if not kill them outright. He sighed and said, "Oh my, what ever will I do?"

With the sudden, explosive power he was famous for, Yang leapt into the fray with a hardened expression on his features. This time, five slashes lashed out, hitting two or three people at a time with deadly accuracy. They were sent flying as the attack finished, with the other two coming in from behind him. Yang leapt cleanly over his other two assailants and began using his fingers to attack the pressure points on their necks. Three quick jabs later, they were unconscious on their feet. He simply pushed them gently over to the ground and got into stance again. "Well, are the rest of you mooks getting up yet?"

Meanwhile back at Yun's end, he and Ryu were tidying up nicely, with Yun taking on two men at once while Ryu delivered a well-placed _Shoryuken_ to the third attacker's chin after evading a machete aimed at his head. His fist impacted right on the soft underside of the guy's head, making his eyes roll back immediately as the forceful attack rammed home. He was knocked out before he hit the ground.

Yun whistled impressively, even as he executed a shoulder check to one of his attackers, sending him high into the air. "Not bad. My brother was right; you're badass!" As soon as the man he had launched was at a good enough height, Yun hopped into the air and knocked him down with a tornado crescent kick, sending his head quite forcefully into the pavement.

Of course, he couldn't see what was behind him at that point, but his back was covered nicely. "**Hadouken**," Ryu said as he launched the shockwave from his hands, knocking the sneak attacker to one side with authority. Yun immediately leapt into the air again and rammed his right foot home, and the poor bastard was knocked cold.

The young man dusted his hands off and said, "Well, there's just one thing left to do here," he said as he looked towards Yang. "Or maybe more than one…"

"**Raishin Mahhaken**!" They had turned just in time to see Yang jab at the hollow of one man's throat, impacting directly onto his windpipe and making it collapse… before suddenly vanishing and ending up behind both men with his right arm outstretched. Multiple points in the neck on both attackers were hit, and they slumped down lifelessly. Fortunately for them, they weren't dead just yet.

Yun grinned and said, "Whoops, spoke too soon!"

Ryu nodded and said, "That you did. Now then, what are we going to do about him?"

Yang looked over at Liang and said, "You are nothing but trash. You wanna know what I do with trash?" He walked over towards the drunk, standing over him menacingly and with a shadow over his eyes. "I _burn_ it. And that's what's going to happen to you next time you come around here with your thugs, got that? I won't be satisfied with just beating you to a pulp."

Liang nodded in compliance, the words gone from his mouth.

Yang knelt down and said, "Get you a new phone… and use it to call for a plane _out_ of Hong Kong. Somewhere preferably as far away from China as you can. I see you harassing this business again, or any other on this street, and I'll be the repo man that comes to collect your sorry ass."

Liang nodded again, scrambling to his feet and running as if the entirety of Hell was after him. Yang sighed and turned towards Yun. "What were you doing, showboating back there? If it weren't for that guy next to you, you'd be dead."

Yun shrugged and said, "I could have taken them."

Yang smirked and said, "Sure." He walked over to the man in the blue jeans, denim jacket, black shirt, and reinforced hiking boots and said, "So, I never got your name…"

To which was answered, "It's Ryu."

Yun's eyebrows rose and said, "Sweet, you're a dragon too!"

Yang nodded and said, "That he is. I caught your fight back there… thanks for helping this dork out."

"Yes, thank you very much for helping this _impulsive_ dork," a voice said from behind Yun. He turned around and saw a woman wearing red, along with another wearing violet. "What do you mean, impulsive? I just did what came natural to me! And for the last time, I _could_ have taken them!"

Hoimei placed her hands on her hips and said, "And what is the restaurant going to do if you get yourself killed, huh? You need to be more responsible with your life! I don't want you messing with these Triads anymore; just let the police handle them!"

Yun folded his arms across his chest and said, "The police are too slow. Besides, we know someone in their ranks who doesn't mind us taking care of this district, just as long as we don't get mixed up in their dealings. It's all good, Hoimei!"

She glared at him, fixing him like a fly on the wall. "Even so…!"

The argument began heating up as Shaomei walked up towards Ryu, her eyes timid and her smile coy. "Honestly, she needs to learn how to express her relief a bit better." The beautiful woman bowed and said, "Thank you very much for helping us. If there is anything we can do to repay you…"

Ryu smiled and said, "Not at all. I just wanted to help. An unbalanced fight like that isn't very honorable to me, even if two people can take them all on."

Yang raised an eyebrow and said, "Honorable, huh? So you're one of _those_ guys." He smiled warmly and said, "I like guys like you. Tell you what, next time you and any friends you have come down to the Rising Dragon Palace, don't you dare worry about paying for your meal; you'll be in good company. It's the least we can do."

Ryu bowed slightly and said, "I appreciate it. Perhaps sometime I'll take your offer. Right now, it's late, and I have to get back to the hotel I'm staying at."

Shaomei tilted her head to the right and said, "Where is it at?"

Ryu scratched the back of his head and said, "It's in Wan Chai…"

Yang's eyes widened. "_Holy crap_, you came all the way from the _island_?" He shook his head and said, "Well the ferry building is gonna close in about an hour… you're not gonna make it. How about we set you up somewhere in town? I'm sure the people who are waiting for you won't be so worried if you have a place to sleep."

Ryu smiled and said, "That would be great."

Yang nodded and said, "I'll call my people, see what they can come up with." When Ryu raised an eyebrow, Yang smirked. "What? I got people. We do things around town, and in exchange they provide a few services that you can't get anywhere else. There's no real money exchanged, just a service for a service."

Ryu shrugged and said, "If you say so. I certainly hope we meet again sometime," he said as he extended his right hand. Yang took it and gave it a firm shake. "The feeling's mutual."

* * *

The next morning came.

Two officers in blue patrolled the streets, having just left a restaurant in the Central District of Hong Kong. Headed back towards their car, they were talking amongst themselves when one of them spotted a man out of the corner of his right eye. At first, he didn't seem like much; just another man standing in an alleyway, peering out into the distance.

But then he took a second look at him, and his eyes widened. He had been given a description earlier- red hair, darkened skin, appeared to be Japanese, around five feet seven inches, heavily muscular build… and then the man looked his way, and he saw them, a pair of eyes that were blood red, without pupil or iris, glowing dully at him. The eye that fixed him in place flashed once, and a sudden fear swept over the officer.

"Something wrong, man?" his friend said before looking in his direction. His facial expression suddenly turned to business after recognizing who he was. "Excuse me, is your name Gouki?"

He stared towards the man who had asked the question, glaring at him with those eerie red eyes. After a few moments of silence, he answered, "What if it is?"

The officer set himself and said, "We're going to have to ask you to come with us. We've got a few questions for you. It won't take long, I promise."

Gouki looked away from the police officer and said brusquely, "I will go nowhere with anyone. Should I decide to answer your… questions… it will be on my terms. If there is nothing important you want from me, be gone. I have business to attend to."

The two officers stepped forward and the man who had started speaking to Gouki said, "It doesn't work that way, I'm afraid. If you don't come peacefully, we'll have to restrain you. It's not gonna be pretty if we have to restrain you."

He couldn't see the smile that Gouki sported just then. If he did, well… he would have thought twice about his words. "You're right… it won't."

Okay, this was starting to get annoying. One of the officers reached for him… and then in the next instant, he vanished from sight. Only a split second later did they realize where Gouki was when they heard the sound of the hood of their car being punched into, causing the rear of the car to rock upwards and the front tires to pop. The engine underneath was totaled, completely useless.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" Gouki asked quietly.

Both officers shook their heads.

He turned his back on them and said, "Then do not stand in my way. Next time, I will punch through you like I did your engine." He vanished again, and the next moment they saw him on a nearby rooftop before he moved out of sight.

The officer that didn't try to grab onto the man grimaced and said, "Get back into the restaurant and commandeer the phone. We have to get the word out. Our man's in town and he's a mean son of a bitch!"

The call took a while to transfer to Chun-Li's cell phone, and she was all the way in Wan Chai still, practicing with her students. She was dressed in what she was usually seen in; a blue qipao laced with gold with a pair of spiked bracelets on her wrists and a pair of white combat boots on her feet. Her legs were adorned with brown pantyhose, making the whole familiar setup complete. The silk brocades and ribbons in her hair were present as well, but that was hardly a new sight.

As soon as she heard it, Chun-Li knew that it was important – rarely anyone called her during a class unless it was important. What was troubling about this call was that a secure line was requested. She raised an eyebrow before dialing in a series of numbers and pressing send. After about three seconds, her phone buzzed twice and she lifted it to her ear. "Line's secure, go ahead."

The dispatcher's voice buzzed in her ear. "We have a positive ID on the man that was described earlier. Last known location was the Central District, in Shek Tong Tsui. We have reports coming in that he totaled a patrol car; punched right _through_ the engine block. Does that sound like your guy?"

Chun-Li's eyes widened. "That's him, all right," she said softly. "I want all units in the area on full spread; find him and contain him. Inform all patrols that his hands and feet are to be considered deadly weapons. I want no actions taken until I get there, understand?"

"Understood," the dispatcher said, "I'll get on that, Chief."

Chun-Li hung up and placed the phone in her bag, then clapped her hands twice to get the children's attention, as well as her students. "Class is over early for today, everyone! Please gather around!" Sakura and Karin raised an eyebrow, but they headed towards her anyways. She mostly asked them what they had learned today and what they would be taking home with them, and as they answered, the two women remained silent. This was awful sudden of her, wasn't it?

But as soon as the children went their separate ways, the truth was revealed.

"We found him," she said towards Sakura.

Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "Just now? Isn't he supposed to be difficult to find, much less capture?" She found it difficult to believe that the ICPO, as good as they were, had stumbled onto such a lucky break as this one.

As they spoke, Sakura was trying to find him as well, feel him out, her eyes closed and her senses tuned. It was still difficult to get a fix on him because of her inexperience with sensing the ki of others from long distances. "I can't find him," She said after about two minutes with her eyes closed.

Chun-Li shrugged and said, "You're not supposed to be able to find him by using your senses; his energy is masked when he moves. I tried while I was on the phone and I couldn't sense him either. The only way he can be tracked is through the naked eye or technology. Luckily for me, we've got both at our disposal," she said with a smile.

She gathered her things and walked towards her roadster. "I'm going to go have a little chat with him about the mess he made. You two catch a cab back to the hotel, and stay in your room until either Ryu or I knock. You'll know it's us, don't worry."

Sakura suddenly had a thought pop into her head, and it was one that made her gasp. It wasn't exactly comforting for one's imagination to suddenly conjure up images of the woman in front of you, dead in a pool of her own blood and a shadowy figure with red eyes standing over her. "Chun-Li, please be careful! I have a bad feeling about this," Sakura called out after her teacher.

Chun-Li didn't answer, not out loud, anyway. Under her breath however, she made her concerns clear. "So do I, Sakura…. So do I."

She hopped into her ride and started the engine before looking towards her two students for what could have been the last time. "Remember; don't come out until you know it's me or Ryu! Get going, you two!"

She peeled off, leaving Sakura with the hair standing on the back of her neck and her guts in a knot. Karin placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and said, "She'll be all right. She's strong."

Sakura nodded, but didn't put any feeling into it. Something bad was about to happen… and she knew it was something she couldn't stop.

* * *

Gouki had been sighted yet again on his way out of the District. Of course, this time it was not going to be as easy to move as last time, despite his speed. The number of cars that had been alerted was massive, and soon a wild chase began through Central Hong Kong. Two helicopters were sent to keep track of him via the air, and thus the cars had a good fix on his location as he moved across the rooftops.

Gouki quickly discerned the situation and immediately launched a sphere of ki at one of them, penetrating through the aircraft and shredding it to pieces. He didn't care much for who was inside, so long as he had those vultures off of him.

"All units, be advised; air reconnaissance is taking heavy fire! We have one helo down and are requesting backup, over!" Two more blasts of violent energy shot towards the other helicopter, but missed as it moved out of the way. Unfortunately as he was firing at them, Gouki ended up losing time. A bunch of squad cars were on him now, surrounding the building that he stood on top of. They had several more covered as well, just in case he decided to do his disappearing act.

'Humans are such fragile creatures. That they should hope to stand against a creature like me is pitiful.'

This was the one thought that ran through his head as he stared down at the police that were gathering, preparing to come up to meet him. 'I can sense their anger at me for destroying their comrades. They should not have interrupted my search in the first place; it is their own folly.' He waited for them, knowing exactly that it would be fruitless for them to resist. There would be no more running.

Gouki sensed something behind him just then, and he turned around to face the helicopter that was coming towards him. 'Another annoying pest… and yet… I sense something different about this one.' His eyes narrowed as he peered towards it, not doing anything to shoot it down yet. There was a woman in a blue Chinese dress and silk brocades in her hair, giving him such an intense look that it would burn through any other being.

He simply stared back with his red eyes. 'Ah… now I have a true challenge.'

As the helo flew over the roof at full speed, the woman leapt from the vehicle, artfully twisted through the air, and landed on the balls of her feet. "You're a difficult man to keep track of."

Gouki remained silent, his eyes fixed on his new target.

She glared towards him and said, "I'm here to place you under arrest for Second Degree Murder and verified claims of resisting arrest. Not to mention the assault on those officers in the helicopter…" she shook her head and said, "Honestly, in my territory, too. You sure are unlucky."

Gouki scoffed and said, "It is those who stand against me that are unfortunate. Those who face me must face the ultimate consequences of defeat. Nothing less than a battle to the death will satisfy me." He took a step towards Chun-Li and said, "You who call yourself warrior… feel how truly weak you are against a demon."

She grimaced and settled into a fighting stance. "You're not a demon… just a man who is obsessed with victory to the exclusion of all else, even the lives of those you fight. Like it or not, I'm bringing you in!"

With that, she leapt forward, arcing through the air in a display of grace before she sent her right leg ramming downwards, heel first, in a powerful kick that had her end in a split. With the speed befitting his status, Gouki evaded the move a split second before it hit him and came back with one of his own; a side thrust kick towards her head.

'Fast as expected,' she thought as she immediately bent backwards, the kick whizzing over her upper chest as if it were a bullet. Gouki was about to send it crashing down on her in what was more of a stomp than a kick, but that was blocked with one hand while the other set itself on the ground. His legs were suddenly kicked out from under him with a neat turn from the ICPO veteran, but he did not reach the ground before she sprung off of her upper back and shoulders, ramming those combat boots home into his airborne form.

He was sent back several feet by the powerful spring kick, and yet recovered in mid air, charging towards her even as she got back on her feet. She set her stance and drove her right fist forward with a lunge, which he leapt right over… before grabbing onto her shoulders and violently tossing her to the rooftop.

Her upper back and shoulders ached. She ignored the pain and evaded yet another stomp that had enough force behind it to splinter the place where she once lay. 'Shit… I have to be a bit more careful.' She quickly rose to her feet and got into striking range, hoping for a bit of a better deal. A flurry of spear hand strikes headed towards Gouki's neck as she attempted to take his air away from him the quick way. He managed to move himself out of the way without moving backwards.

Of course, this was only a nice little distraction for what was in store next. He would feel a stinging pain in his right thigh as Chun-Li executed a low roundhouse kick to the sweet spot. The first actual grimace of pain colored his features, and a second one followed as his chin was visited by a quite high knee strike.

'Well at least he can feel pain,' she thought to herself as she began going to work on Gouki, ramming an elbow into his ribs with enough force to bruise a few. It wasn't over quite yet though as she immediately rammed both palms forward into his solar plexus, hoping to take his air away from him.

He didn't fall for it this time, having recovered from the first few blows she had delivered. With a hiss of air through gritted teeth, he expounded his air just as the attack connected, even as he was forcefully shoved backwards for all of five feet. She was not about to let him escape though, and was on him again, never allowing him to regain the offensive. "**Kikouken**," she shouted as she extended her left hand forward, the explosion of energy rushing forward to meet him.

Gouki grinned. "Is that all?" He batted the incoming projectile away with his left forearm, having channeled his own ki into it earlier. And yet, another one was directed his way, almost immediately after the first. This one was defended against as well, but still a third one moved in his direction. This one came so close behind the second that he had to move to the left in order to evade it.

"…How interesting. You are not as weak as the dogs below," he said as he advanced forward.

Chun-Li gritted her teeth and said, "Insulting my officers is the same as insulting me. You'll _pay_ for that!" She advanced forward again, launching herself upwards and forwards, attempting to hit him with a jumping roundhouse kick to the right side of his face. He neatly ducked under it as she brought the leg all the way through, and as she landed, already had his response prepared.

A deep purple shockwave of energy fired outwards from the palms of his hands, ramming into Chun-Li from close range. Granted, it wasn't nearly enough to kill, but she certainly felt the bang as she stumbled forward. Sadly, she would feel the bang again and again as he began landing blows to her back, aiming for specific areas.

Kidneys, the spine, the back of the neck…. He was trying to end this quickly.

As soon as the breath left her from the first dirty shot, Chun-Li began defending herself without looking behind her, hands parrying blows and feet taking care of the punches that aimed lower. She caught him ducking low just in time to realize what he was about to do, and instinctively leapt over his incoming sweep.

Her right foot came down right on top of his head as she used it as a springboard to get herself some breathing room. The attack made his teeth rattle and his spine tremble, and it took him a few seconds to get back into standing position. 'Ryu is highly underestimating this man… he is much stronger than he told me he was, and he's not afraid to fight dirty.'

Chun-Li grimaced in pain and swore that he had actually ruptured that kidney he had hit. She directed her chi towards the area and found, thankfully, that it was okay. 'Too close… I have to end this quickly before he takes me out.'

Gouki finally stood up, but by then it was a bit late to do much about what was coming next. Chun-Li moved forward, lifted her right leg, and executed what was known as her signature move. "**Hyakuretsu**," she shouted as she began burning into her foe with multiple roundhouse kicks at full speed and tremendous power without losing balance.

There were more than six kicks in this one, and they were enough to break anyone else's bones. Not his, though, but it was a close thing. Gouki was sent stumbling to the ground as she finished the move, ten solid kicks ramming home like a baseball bat swung by a madman, the tibia perfectly impacting on each leg attack.

'If that didn't put him down, I don't know what will.' She lowered the leg and ran a hand through her hair. "I think that's enough for you… now then, come along quietly," she said as she walked towards him. Sadly, it was not to be as violent, crimson red ki flowed outwards from him. She gritted her teeth and set her stance again. 'Damn it! What's it going to _take_?'

Gouki slowly got up and stretched outwards, his joints popping as he did so. "That was impressive. Perhaps I should take you seriously now."

The kanji for providence shone on his back, and it made her heart race in something that definitely was not excitement. 'His aura is immense… was he holding back on purpose?' She shook her head and said, "Doesn't matter how many times you get up, I'm going to knock you down again." She charged forward yet again, almost heedless of the danger she was in, but knowing perfectly well what he could accomplish now that he was fighting for real.

Before her side thrust kick landed on his lower back however, he vanished a split second before the impact rammed home. Before she was able to lower her leg, the other one was swept out from under her. The incoming stomp was so quick that she didn't have time to move. Her forearms stung from the impact of that sandal right on top of them, but then she found out that it wasn't his aim to crush her underfoot.

She could feel the ki exploding from the points in his legs as he leapt upwards, and soon she was greeted with a mid-air blast of dark purple energy, headed straight in her direction with alarming speed. 'Oh, _crap_,' she thought as her reflexes kicked in. Chun-Li rolled backwards, just missing the incoming air strike before it rammed into the roof, destroying that which it made contact with.

As soon as he landed, Gouki was gone again, and in the blink of an eye he was in her face. Immediately, she responded, attempting to ram an elbow into his temple for his trouble. He evaded and immediately ripped into her with a _Shoryuken_ that had enough force behind it to leave a permanent scar.

She narrowly dodged, but felt the air wavering as his fist passed through it. 'Shit! Now he really _is_ trying to kill me; his fist cut through the air!'

She already knew the weakness of this attack, and immediately set herself for retaliation. As soon as he came back down where she expected him to be, she set herself, prepared the attack, and shouted, "**Spinning Bird Kick**!" Gouki landed right into the whirling blades known as her legs, and was taken for a ride as she began impacting into him multiple times. He went spinning away in a most violent manner before she set her stance again.

'Not taking any chances this time,' she brooded as she leapt into the air before he hit the ground, preparing a final kick that would hopefully smash his face in. The leap was high enough for the subsequent heel smash to have sufficient momentum, and break quite a few bones if it connected.

Gouki was wise to her move.

He hit the ground with his upper back and shoulders, but immediately rolled backwards before the crushing _Hazan Shuu_ rammed home, and immediately responded before she could get a word in edgewise. She knew what this move was, and knew that there were only two ways to stop it, neither of which was available to her now.

The foot rammed into her three times, and she could feel her rib cage pressing against her heart and lungs each time it connected. Chun-Li was sent spinning away in a mass of limbs and pain, and hit the ground quite hard, almost going through the roof. Her silk brocades were knocked out of her hair on the first impact with the ground, which made her braids come undone as well. After that however, she managed to right herself in the air, landing on one knee and struggling for air.

Multiple bruises colored her body underneath the dress as she clinched her sides in pain. She could hardly breathe and barely move. He had only landed a few hits on her, but damn… did they _hurt_. She struggled to get back on her feet, but then found him gone yet again.

Immediately, her senses informed her of his current location, and she instinctively rolled to her right just before a… well that was not good. He had lit his surge on fire. Oh, she knew what that attack was, and she was afraid of being hit by Gouki's version of it. She turned to face him… and found him gone again. 'Damn… this is not good!'

She could barely hear him moving through the air, but apparently that was enough as she rolled forward just before a side blade kick slammed into the back of her neck with deadly precision. She turned to sweep his legs out from under him, but he flipped over and immediately fired another blast wave of ki… but this time from much closer range.

Chun-Li was not fast enough this time, and was knocked through the roof of the building.

The surge pressed her downwards, forcing the breath out of her lungs. It dissipated before she hit the tile floor of the building she had just been forced into, but the landing was still rough. The world spun before her eyes as she attempted to regain her bearings.

'I'm… not dead yet.' She was surprised. Surely he had enough strength to kill her.

But her mind was suddenly in doubt that her luck would last for long as Gouki arrived on the scene, not but a few feet away from her. "You amuse me. You are not like the others that are coming to capture me; there is no weakness in you. I have not had to fight seriously in a match since the last time I faced him…"

She gritted her teeth and attempted to stand. For the most part, she was successful. "Well, what can I say? I have a strong will to live."

Gouki smirked, "Is that so? Well allow me to extinguish that will."

Chun-Li gave him her best smile as she stood shakily, assuming a fighting stance again. "You certainly can try."

Gouki settled in his heavy stance, his dark red ki flaring up as he prepared a hell of a move. She could feel the ki rushing through his pathways, heading towards his arms and into his fists, and the massive concentration was enough to start drawing even her own aura into it.

She chuckled and closed her eyes, beginning to clear her mind. 'This could be it… but I'm not going to go down like some damsel in distress.' Her fear melted away as her mind entered into the familiar void. She began gathering her own energies, preparing herself for the attack that was coming. She had only one chance to evade it, and then one chance to make her response.

Chun-Li opened her eyes just in time to see something that almost broke her calm. A very visible character appeared over his head, formed from the massive influx of energy that had been gathered. 'I might not make it this time… but I'm not worried about that.'

"**Messatsu**…" Gouki said as he finished preparing the move.

'Here we go,' Chun-Li said to herself as she got ready to haul ass. It was now or never.

* * *

**Round 26: **_**Gouki Strikes!**_

Oh, no… is this it for Chun-Li? Is she entirely outmatched by this force of nature? Thrill to the next chapter, when I reveal the answer and end the next phase of the chase! Or will the battle with Gouki last longer than two chapters? Will I make it go all the way to the end? I'm almost tempted to – my head has plenty of ideas on how this could go.

But seriously, I'm not going to turn this into Dragon Ball Z. This fight will have a conclusion soon. But I'm going to make it as epic as possible in the short time I have given myself! Watch for it!

As usual, thanks to everyone that read this tale. It's immensely gratifying to see that people are interested in something like this, and I won't stop saying it until my lips fall off. Hopefully that won't happen too soon…

Cheers.

_Will the tide of battle turn?_


	27. Counterattack

_I am starting to believe that Sakura Kasugano is not all that she appears to be._

_Intellectually, she is average, certainly; better at writing than math, better at words than numbers, speaking and listening than reasoning. She is no genius or dunce, she is simply what she is; average. Perhaps that was a reason why I disliked her at first, another part of the peasants. I still dislike that word, peasant. It's a terrible thing to call someone, and I am ashamed of having called my classmates as such._

_Physically and athletically, as I have observed from our time in school together, she is above average. She can run and jump with perfect form, has excellent agility and response time, and can move faster than I have ever seen anyone move before. I've managed to clock her top speed at about eleven meters per second, or a good twenty-two miles an hour, and that was while we were still teenagers._

_For a human being, that is nowhere near slow. She outpaced her other classmates by seconds, and that's just her while running. If I listed everything I've seen her do, I would not be able to hold it all in a single diary. Then again, I was kind of obsessed with observing her since the first time she defeated me._

_But the thing I've noticed the most about her is that she has a rare kind of intelligence, and it's one that can't be measured. It's the same thing I've seen in Ryu, although he does have a mental dexterity about him that matches his hands and feet. Sakura has a spiritual intelligence, and a profound one at that. She knows people without having met them, treats everything with respect, and always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude._

_The day could be dreary, cloudy, rainy, and full of lightning, and she could wear that same smile even as all that water comes down on her head. Me? I can't do that. At least, I don't think I can. But just maybe, from being around her, I could open myself to the possibility of obtaining that intelligence, and then improving it._

-Excerpt from the diary of Karin Kanzuki

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

On the roof of the hotel in which they stayed, two women were performing a series of slow, methodical movements, an eerie grace to their arms and legs, hands and feet. The blonde had never been up here before, and still couldn't believe that Sakura could manage to find a way to this place. But the first time they had arrived, she understood why her friend came here.

A high-angle view of the entirety of Wan Chai, all the way to Causeway Bay, that overlooked other nearby districts of Hong Kong Island. Karin had to admit that it was indeed a beautiful sight, but Sakura was still entirely too quiet. For the first time in several weeks, the Japanese brunette had a worried expression on her face.

'I might not have been awake for the first time, but I can certainly see it now,' Karin thought to herself. 'She's worried about Chun-Li…' Hell, the blonde was worried as well, but that didn't mean much when they couldn't do anything about it. From what she had heard, this man was nothing to trifle around with. He had _decades_ of experience; they had mere years.

'And he kills his opponents after defeating them; knocking them down isn't enough for him.'

That kind of man was not someone to fight with, but to run _away_ from. Karin was very down to earth about Chun-Li's chances. If anything, she was a distraction, putting herself deliberately in the demon's path in order to shield her and Sakura from him. She didn't know where they were, but she knew it would not be good for their teacher.

But could she tell the woman next to her that? Karin found that she did not have the heart to tell Sakura the sad news. Besides, they were friends, and friends did not hurt each other. So Karin came up with a plan. "Sakura, would you like to work out with me for a bit? I bet it would clear your head."

The brunette did not respond, simply looking out towards the distance as if she could see beyond the horizon, that expression still on her face. Of course, Karin was troubled by this silence and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "…Sakura?"

It was as if she had been pulled out of some kind of trance for a moment, because Sakura looked towards Karin with slightly clouded eyes. "Huh? You were asking me something?"

Karin did not like that distant look on Sakura's face. It wasn't like she hadn't seen it before, but something was slightly off about it this time. It looked haunted, colored with trepidation. The blonde immediately felt the need to clear her face of that expression. "I said," she repeated, "Let's work out together. Not a spar, just a few Chi Kung exercises that we learned. It's good practice, and besides… it'll help you focus."

Sakura nodded and said, "Yeah, that'd be great." She had to admit that she needed something else to focus on at the moment. And besides, she appreciated Karin trying to help her out. While Sakura did not put on a smile yet, she figured she may as well give herself one. And so we come to the present moment, where the two of them were silently performing the motions in what appeared to be a graceful dance in almost impossibly slow motion.

Within minutes, Sakura began to feel the flow of ki as it passed through her and around her. The familiar movements cleared her mind as she performed them without any semblance of thought or hesitation. As a smile began spreading along her cheeks and she closed her eyes, Karin began to relax somewhat. 'For a while there, she worried me.'

Karin closed her eyes as well and simply allowed her body to perform the form as it had been taught. Like Sakura, her mind emptied of all its patterns and simply flowed. It was like this for a few moments longer, until something changed on Sakura's end of things.

When the conscious mind was not involved in the process of life, eerie things happened. In the case of your everyday individual, they received hunches, gut instincts, or sudden feelings that spring up from out of nowhere; profound things that have an actual, practical use. It was a leap from question to answer without any prior thought process.

In the case of a martial artist, they were able to sense the presence of others even without looking towards them, and for those who were adept at it they could pinpoint a person's exact location, regardless of distance, even though they had met only once. Therefore in Sakura's case, it was an instantaneous and sudden shock to her system when she felt a stifling aura; a violent, murderous energy wave that threatened to devour everything it came into contact with.

Her eyes snapped open and her body suddenly became stiff as a board, freezing in the middle of the movement that she was executing. Her pupils were wide with a mix of fascination and fear as she turned her head towards the exact location that this aura originated from. Her mind immediately formed a picture of the man she had seen only once, and it was only in her head.

But here, in Hong Kong, she was faced with reality, and not just imagination. Gouki was close; _dangerously_ close. And the worst part was that she could sense Chun-Li amidst that chaos. She was _not_ in good shape.

'She's going to die,' her mind immediately whispered, and Sakura believed it wholeheartedly. 'He's too strong; she's not going to make it back to the hotel!'

The very realization of this made her sink to her knees, her body drained of the flow that once passed through it. The first and only thing she could think of doing, she did at that very moment. Sakura began to cry. It made Karin stop and look towards her with a raised eyebrow. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"

Sakura attempted to compose herself enough to explain, but it wouldn't come. Karin then noticed that her friend was facing in an entirely different direction than she was, and looked towards it. 'I don't see anything… what exactly is going on? Why is she crying?'

Sakura finally calmed herself enough to explain her tears, slowing her breathing to the point where her heart stopped hammering in her chest. "She's… Chun-Li is…" She sobbed and continued with, "She's not gonna make it, is she?"

Karin's eyes widened. The very thing that she had wanted to avoid telling her and Sakura had figured it out on her own? Karin shook her head and said, "Oh come on, you can't believe that, can you? I mean, she's tough as hell; there's a good chance that she'll be back here without incident." She could hear the uncertainty in her own voice, and she hated it.

Sakura smiled towards Karin, and it was a smile that was filled with sorrow. "You can't sense him; I don't blame you, because you don't know how. Besides… you don't _want_ to. He's terrifying, Karin."

The blonde was silent as her friend turned her head towards the exact point of the conflict. "The only hope she's got," she said softly, "Is if Ryu gets there before she gets taken apart. I know he can sense the same thing I do right now. The only question is…"

Karin grimaced and finished it for her. "…Where is he now?"

* * *

The windows in the building shattered into so much dust as the terrifying shockwave was launched, a deep purple and crimson red bolt of energy exploding from the top floor with alarming speed. The air around the massive surge of energy was torn through as if it did not exist at all, and anything that happened to be in its path was carved into cleanly. Before it dissipated, the rooftops of three adjacent buildings were bitten into, leaving the stone that it touched entirely smooth in its wake.

Nothing in its way could have survived.

That was, of course, unless whatever or whoever was in its path could not only anticipate the high-speed, high-gauge attack, but manage to evade it. There was a woman who once stood in front of the man with red hair and equally red eyes, wearing black and carrying the aura of death around him. At the moment of the attack, this woman's reflexes kicked in as her powerful leg muscles drove her into the air.

As fast and devastating as the _Messatsu Gou Hadou_ was, it had several key weaknesses. Those who were just plain faster could jump over it, and as the same with a normal application of Hadou in this manner, the user would have a significant time frame in which he or she had to recover their stance. If the move hoped to do any damage to the opponent, it had to hit them first.

The woman was faster, but by a mere fraction of a second. To be realistic, she could barely keep going. The only thing that was moving her forward was the chi that she had built up before this particular exchange had begun, and now she had free reign to use it. She began channeling her energy through her legs in mid-air, even before she executed the move. No words or exclamations were needed for this, simply focus.

The brunette landed, quickly raised one leg… and went to town on Gouki.

Before he could recover from his stance, Chun-Li began laying into him with a barrage of kicks from her right leg, the leg landing seven times into Gouki's left side. The myriad of attacks sounded like a Gatling gun being fired at full spray, and soon the left leg followed with the exact same number of kicks. Finally, the right leg advanced again as Chun-Li lowered her upper body and fired the leg right into the underside of her opponent's head like an artillery shell fired from close range.

The _Houyoku Sen_ was the ultimate refinement of her trademark kicking style, developed after years of practice. Considered able to defeat an armed opponent before they even had the opportunity to fire their weapon or use whatever personal tool of malice they had at the time, it was the move that made her known as the Legendary Legs.

Gouki had just eaten it full-on, and was sent back up into the air, making another gaping hole in the roof.

Chun-Li did not follow him immediately; that had taken all of her reserves. The pain came flooding back as her energy tapered off, and she collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. 'That had to have done it,' she thought wildly to herself. 'Multiple cracked ribs, possibly a concussion from that last side kick. There's no way he's getting up from that, unless he just plain old likes pain, or can ignore it altogether.'

If either one were the case, she had no chance. He had to be hurting right now, or else she was dead.

For a while, she heard nothing; felt nothing. Her shattered senses could still detect auras even now, and she could feel nothing from above her… But Chun-Li dared not sigh in relief yet. He had gotten up once before from several of her signature techniques, most of which could take a lesser opponent down with a single instance. But Gouki was not a lesser opponent.

'He's exactly like Ryu, but he's taken a different approach,' she thought to herself. 'It's the only reason why I've been able to last this long; I've faced these moves before.'

Slowly, she rose to her feet, her muscles complaining all the way. It was still entirely quiet up there, save for the sounds of police sirens outside. Had she really done it? She couldn't be sure just with her senses alone, and at the moment she could barely move, which meant that Chun-Li could not confirm whether she had delivered the knockout blow or not.

'It's not over yet. Not until I can be sure.'

Of course, as soon as she thought that, the worst thing that could have happened, happened.

Chun-Li's eyes brown eyes widened as she suddenly sensed the outpouring of ki that threatened to overwhelm her. His aura was so immense now that she could feel the rest of her own energy being drawn into it. Soon, she would be entirely devoid of it, and Chun-Li knew what would happen then…

With a sad smile she realized, 'I'm not gonna make it.'

On the roof, Gouki's ki had turned into a deep purple, dark enough to the point where it was almost black, but not quite. His right hand was raised to the sky, and there seemed to be a vacuum of energy headed towards it, from every direction at once, including directly below him. He could sense that she was fading, and was almost sad to see her go.

'Such a worthy foe… I have never been pushed so far. I will give you the honorable death you deserve, strong one.'

So focused was he on drawing all that ki towards him that he did not notice who was approaching. Just below him, someone had entered the building from street level, launching himself straight upwards with a single leap. The man entered through the broken glass at the top floor, quickly grabbed Chun-Li, and leapt outwards almost in the same movement.

The escape was a split second before the right hand closed into a fist and rammed down into the building. All that stored energy was forced through the stone and steel, causing it to immediately begin collapsing out from under Gouki. The gas lines in the building were immediately ruptured, and the edifice was destroyed in a massive fireball, sending nearby police cars flying with the blast wave.

Chun-Li opened her eyes, having closed them before she felt the attack happen. As she wondered whether or not she was dead or alive, she saw who had her in his arms and smiled weakly. "Do you always make such a dramatic entrance, or did you save that one for me?" she teased.

Ryu was brief in his reply. "Couldn't you have waited a bit longer?"

The Chinese ICPO agent grimaced and said, "My officers were _dying_, Ryu. I didn't have a choice."

He nodded and said, "Fair enough." Then he began reading her aura and a look of concern washed over his face. "He was draining you; you're almost devoid of ki. You can't fight Gouki anymore. I doubt you can even _arrest_ him while he's in this state." By now they had landed at ground level and he set her down on her feet. "Call them off; I'll handle this from here."

Chun-Li gave him a rather stubborn look and said, "And what can you do that they haven't tried to? He's not going to stop now until he gets what he wants. You were right about one thing; he's obsessed with victory at all costs. Besides, I can still move, so I can still fight."

Ryu did not take a look behind him as he replied. "You're going to need some rest, at least a few days worth, to get the energy you've lost back. Unless you have a quick way of restoring your ki, you can't possibly hope to beat him."

Chun-Li raised an eyebrow and said, "And you can?"

Ryu was silent for a few moments before he said, "I can only try… anything to keep him away from Sakura. But just one thing: I won't kill him. That's exactly what he'd want."

She began to speak when he cut in immediately, looking over his right shoulder as he did so. "It's not up for debate. I turned away from that path a long time ago, and I won't stray from the one I'm on now. I'll subdue him without killing him, and if I can't, then I'll leave him unconscious on the street."

He began walking forward, sensing the aura of his rival and mirror image as he did so. "If by some chance you can actually recover, I admit that I could use the help. But if you can't, pull your men back and get as far away from here as you can."

As she looked towards him, the agent could not help but see how poised he was. Sure, he was dressed in jeans, boots, a black shirt and a denim jacket, but Chun-Li found that Ryu looked exactly the same as he did with his karategi on. His aura hadn't changed at all, and it seemed that it was just as strong as Gouki's was.

'If I can still sense energy, then I can restore my own. I just hope I have enough time to do so before this fight turns sour…'

She retreated behind the cover of a nearby alley and began clearing her mind, executing the slow, graceful movements that she herself had taught Karin and Sakura. It certainly did have a practical use after all, and this was it; it would take her a while to recover, but she would try to do it as fast as she could.

Her part in this was not over yet… she was determined to see this through to the end.

* * *

In the smoldering remains of the building, Gouki stood motionless, his red eyes glowing outwards to the remaining police cars that formed a barricade around him. He did not have time for this; the girl had to be found before she escaped him again. There would not be another weak-willed user of Ansatsuken so long as he breathed. The true art had to be passed on.

'I will transform her into the warrior she is meant to be. That man is not fit to teach her.'

As soon as that thought entered his mind, he could detect said man approaching him. One could almost see a set of stark white teeth in the form of a grin from the silhouette that was wreathed in flames. Weak-willed he may be, but Ryu was strong. There was no doubt about that. How much stronger he could be if he only unleashed his full power! Or was this it; had he already shown him the extent of his abilities?

'I must know.'

He could hold off on chasing the young woman for a bit longer, just to see what her master was capable of. "Here before me stands another one so eager to die. And yet," he said as he exited the flames, revealing flesh and clothing that was left entirely unstained by soot and unmarked by the fire, "He is one of the few capable of fighting me to a draw."

Ryu stood before him, entirely silent, his brown eyes locked onto his target. With the plan already laid out in his head, he could forget about it altogether and focus on his opponent. He had to sate Gouki's desire for battle, at least for a while longer, until they could escape. He doubted they could run forever, but Ryu had to try.

"So then, if I'm so eager to die, why don't you come and kill me?"

Gouki raised an eyebrow and said, "A deliberate taunt? It's quite out of your scope to do so. Something has changed."

Ryu smiled and said, "I guess I feel like toying around today. So," he said as his expression became solemn again, "Are we going to start or not?"

The two seemed to stare each other down as a clash of wills commenced, neither man moving for several moments. Then, Gouki vanished… or rather, he attempted to. But to Ryu, he moved much slower. The man was used to his tactics by now, and knew that so much ki was focused in his legs that he appeared to warp from one spot to the next with his speed. But in reality, he was simply moving faster than the untrained eye could trace.

Ryu had fought him time after time; his eyes were trained. He lifted his right leg as Gouki moved past him and turned at the same time, executing a spinning heel kick directly at head level. There was a problem with this trick of Gouki's and that was that he had to stop moving eventually in order to set himself for the next attack.

This could be exploited by someone who knew how.

So it was that the Ansatsuken master was forced to eat Ryu's boot, spinning through the air violently after doing so. He settled into his fighting stance after lowering said leg and waited for his opponent to get up, which happened promptly. Gouki immediately got on the offensive, but Ryu stood his ground as the punches began raining in, a short jab blocked and then immediately countered with a right hand.

The red-haired man slipped to the outside of the attack, but was immediately met with another one from the left. He evaded again and began moving in for the first few hits. Ryu gritted his teeth as Gouki's fists rammed into his ribs and stomach, but only staggered backwards for a bit before ramming into his opponent's right temple with a hook that made him stumble as well.

Not wanting to waste the given opportunity, Ryu mounted his own offense, executing a _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku _without even a word spoken. The kick rammed home, and sent Gouki to the ground yet again. And yet, he recovered suddenly, as if the kick was nothing, and turned around with a _Gou Hadouken _fired from his hands. It connected with Ryu's lower back as he landed from the attack, and sent him sprawling to the pavement.

Gouki was upon him instantaneously, the knife edge of his left foot diving down towards Ryu with punishing force. The man rolled out of the way just before the kick impacted, but could not stand up as an axe kick immediately threatened to crack his skull. Ryu rolled again, and the kick ended up cracking the pavement.

The police watched in silence, not knowing what to make of this. They couldn't shoot; they would hit the man who was trying to fight their perpetrator if they did. Chun-Li was nowhere to be found, after she had been evacuated, so she was considered missing in action until further notice. All they could do was observe the battle that was raging before their eyes.

Ryu had since recovered, attempting to move in close and apply pressure. He had to give him at least a proper fight, even with his ki as it was now. The color, he noticed, had changed significantly; he was almost fully immersed in the Satsui no Hadou.

'Chun-Li must have given him quite a show. I'm proud.'

But now he had to knock him down, and then knock him _out_, before he actually tapped his full power. Sadly, Gouki was having none of that as he brought his right hand down in an overhead chop towards Ryu's collarbone. He had to block before he stepped in with an elbow strike to the gut, which connected. It didn't make him double over or knock the wind out of him, but it was a confirmed hit, and one would immediately lead to another as Ryu began a flurry of strikes towards his opponent.

Chest, ribs, stomach, solar plexus, any target he could strike at. Gouki was currently eating Ryu's assault as each punch pushed him further backwards. And yet… that grin, crazed and sinister, appeared again. 'Good. Show me your power. Each attack you throw fuels me.'

And to prove it, he grabbed onto Ryu's jacket after evading a punch that was thrown a bit too wide, lowered himself to his back, and planted one foot into his opponent's gut. With that, he rolled backwards, pressing Ryu's spine, neck, and head into the ground once, twice, and a third time before the momentum of the throw was allowed to do its work.

Oh yes, it was painful. But Ryu recovered in mid-air, immediately turned to face Gouki, and channeled his ki into his palms with an intense concentration. "**Shakunetsu**," he said as he landed, the burning surge headed straight towards his foe. The man immediately stood, quickly prepared, and fired his own. "**Haaaah**!"

The resulting explosion when the two ki attacks met was enough to make a sizable wave of heat and pressure expand outwards. Ryu had settled in his stance when he saw Gouki heading right through the mid-air explosion, unfazed by the intense heat. His aura seemed to press outwards as he rushed forward, a mass of deep purple miasma flowing from every point in his body.

The only thing that was visible was his glowing red eyes. He looked like some kind of ghost…

A ghost that was hit with a right step-in side kick, the heel of the hiking boot ramming into Gouki's face even as he charged forward. The damage was not all that evident however, as he recovered immediately in mid air. All at once, two rapid blasts of ki came at Ryu with blinding speed, and though he could redirect one of them harmlessly, the other was not so easily blocked.

Ryu was knocked to the ground, the breath taken from him as the second surge rammed home. Before he knew it, the Ansatsuken master was upon him again, leaping at him from the air with that twisted grin of his. For a brief moment, his eyes widened as he marveled at his speed. 'I almost forgot that he recovers from an attack a lot faster than when he holds back!'

He barely managed to move out of the way before that fist impacted with the ground, and swept Gouki's legs out from him immediately. It was decided that the best way to end this was to keep him pinned, and thus Ryu immediately mounted his downed foe before he could move away. With that, one punch after another rained down on the back of Gouki's head in the first attempt to knock him out.

It failed after the third punch when the demon's ki suddenly exploded from all the vital points at once, generating a shockwave that not only blasted Ryu off of him, but carved a sizable crater in the pavement.

Ryu landed several feet away, his body impacting with the ground in brutal fashion. Right, well that was new. He hadn't seen him do that before… but perhaps it was an instinctive thing. Regardless of whether it was by chance or by sheer force of will, Ryu stood up much slower this time than from the previous attacks that hit him.

'Such power… I don't think I can take another one of those!'

As soon as he recovered, he suddenly found Gouki in his face. "Is this all you have?" he growled. "Do not tell me that this is all you are capable of."

Ryu gritted his teeth and attempted a knee strike to Gouki's stomach, since he was close enough to manage the attack. The man before him however was too fast, ramming his hand into his face and suddenly driving forward with his legs, carrying him towards the nearest wall with just one hand. The back of Ryu's head smacked into brick, and the world spun before him.

"Pathetic. When faced with my true strength, even you are nothing." He had his head rammed against the wall again. "I will grind you into dust with my fist. The world does not need another weakling. Go the way of your master!"

Ryu could feel the palm of Gouki's hand heating up against his face, and knew that this would not only hurt, but it would be the death of him. A _Gou Hadouken_ at this range, fueled by the Satsui no Hadou, would certainly be the end. Something had to give, and it had to give right now.

'I never thought I'd have to use this, but I don't have a choice!'

Ansatsuken was based on four styles of martial arts, three of which were the foundation of the striking, kicking, and grappling techniques. But the fourth was considered useful only when one truly needed it, or at least it was in Gouken's derivation of the style. In Goutetsu's original variant, it was a requirement to learn.

Ryu used his fingers to strike two points near Gouki's wrist, a third near the center of the forearm, and two more near the elbow. He was fast, he was accurate, and the fingers pushed in deep. While Gouki was beyond pain, he was not beyond having the flow of his energy blocked. His hand went cold, not to mention his entire right forearm.

"How clever," Gouki said as he attempted to ram his right knee into Ryu's gut. Ryu blocked the attack, forcefully removed the arm from his face, and put him in an elbow lock just before giving him a knee of his own. A second and a third followed before the demon was kicked away forcefully. Ryu quickly stepped away from the wall and channeled his ki into his right fist… and rammed it home into Gouki's body. "**Shoryuken**!" he cried as he sent the man packing.

His right arm was disabled for the moment until he could find a way to get his energy back into the limb, but that didn't mean he was out of the fight. Gouki's expression became entirely emotionless as his ki began to flare up again, and Ryu took a fighting stance, newly refreshed. "Didn't expect that, did you?" he said with a smile.

"No, I did not..." With that, the demon immediately vanished and came at Ryu again, seemingly unconcerned about the loss of his arm. Ryu's smile faded as the two of them prepared to clash once again, but as he attacked, it became evident that the temporary loss of a limb was of little importance. Gouki began fighting Ryu with the use of only _one working hand_, his speed increasing exponentially.

'I can't hit him,' Ryu said as he was forced on the defensive, able to do nothing more than parry the master's blows. One punch slipped through Ryu's guard, ramming into the solar plexus with painful accuracy. And soon after, two kicks to his right leg connected, one just four inches above the knee and another near the hip. With such quick, yet powerful leg movements, his balance was absolutely destroyed as the leg lost its power.

The side heel kick that followed, performed with the right leg, sent Ryu towards the building that he was once pinned to, straight through the glass window. The occupants of the store immediately made their way out of the area as Gouki stalked towards his downed opponent. "The loss of an arm, a leg… it matters not. I will fight until the death."

Okay, now he couldn't stand straight. Ryu gritted his teeth and attempted to get up again, but with only one good leg, it was going to be difficult to keep going. "You can no longer oppose me, Ryu. This is the end of our rivalry. For your part, you demonstrated your skill in a most cunning manner, and for that, I salute you. But this is the final blow for you… pray to whatever gods you believe in!"

With that, Gouki launched himself high into the air and channeled his ki towards his working arm. "**Tenma**!" he said as the massive sphere of energy immediately formulated, ready to crush the building, along with anyone else that was still inside it.

And then, something new happened.

Gouki was rammed into by a myriad of kicks while in mid air, the legs of the assailant pin wheeling in a graceful display of power. On the last kick, the demon was brought down to earth quite hard before being knocked away with a ferocious wave of pressure. The attacker stood up, dusted herself off, and walked into the shop.

Ryu smiled and said, "Didn't know you could recover that quickly."

Chun-Li shrugged and said, "I have a knack for these things." She looked towards his right leg and said, "Damn, he nailed you good."

Ryu grimaced and said, "No time to take a look at it; he's still moving."

The woman shook her head and suddenly stepped forward, kicking those same two points that Gouki had successfully hit. Ryu could feel his leg come to life again in disturbingly painful fashion, but at least he could move now. The man stood and said, "I'm going to guess that I owe you one?"

Chun-Li nodded and said, "I'll have you repay me later. Shall we finish this now?"

Ryu nodded and walked towards the shattered window. Stepping outside, he looked at the chaos that their fight had caused and shook his head. "We have to finish this soon, though. I don't want to break anything else."

They both looked towards where Gouki had been pushed off to and saw him stand up, a silhouetted figure in the dust that his landing had kicked up. The _Tensei Ranka_ was a relatively new addition to her arsenal, but showed its fangs in this situation. He was probably going to bash both of their heads in for that one.

"You think we have a chance?" Chun-Li asked as they both assumed a fighting stance.

Ryu nodded and said, "Yeah, but it's our last one. We have to make it count."

And to add spice to the mix, Ryu noticed that Gouki was doing something with his right arm… flexing it. It appeared that he was searching for those points that had been hit… and apparently, he had found them, because Gouki pressed in the points that Ryu had blocked with ease. His right fist clenched as he said, "Both arms free… one for each of you."

Ryu smiled and said, "Then it's a fair fight, isn't it? Let's finish this."

Gouki immediately lunged forward, throwing himself at the two fighters who would have loved nothing more than to beat his face in, and at the same time they made their advance. Even with these kinds of odds, the chances for Ryu and Chun-Li were slim… but they would nonetheless try their hardest.

* * *

**Round 27: **_**Counterattack**_

Sweet! Now that's the kind of fight I wanted.

To be honest, while writing this chapter, I kind of winged it; played things by ear. The first attack that Gouki launched was entirely played out beforehand, but this one is more or less unscripted. I certainly hope that it's made all the more awesome without looking at notes… I guess that's for you to decide, though.

Thanks for all the new reviews! And please, keep reading. I'm going to end this one with the next chapter, which leaves two more chapters of storytelling to do, including their next stop on the tour. Where will they be heading next? I don't entirely know yet, but I'll have to decide soon, won't I?

Cheers!

_It ain't over 'til it's over!_


	28. Agony of Defeat

_I'm scared sometimes._

_I don't like admitting it to anyone, but I do get scared. I might be as heroic as the most intrepid adventurer, but when something big comes my way, and I mean really big… I get scared. It just feels like a big tidal wave that sweeps everything and everyone in its path up and doesn't slow down until reaching land._

_It was like that when I first entered college. I didn't know what I was getting into; I didn't know anyone, my classes were entirely unfamiliar, my teachers were all strange to me. The only constants were my friend, Kei, and the fact that I had made it through High School practically unscathed. Back then, I had the fear of being invisible; of being outright ignored and made into so much background noise._

_I wanted to be noticed and recognized; I wanted to be someone special and out of the ordinary, and I didn't care how silly it made me look. But how would I do that? What was the first step? I had no clue, and anything I don't understand, I'm afraid of. But now I have more friends than I can count, in more countries than I can think of, and I did it all outside of college._

_Who says higher education has to come from a classroom?_

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

A thunderous crack sounded off through the air as the two opposing forces collided.

A pair of fists met another, the opposing wills meeting in a deadlock for a brief second before separating again. It was your average street fight, unscripted and without rules. The situation was a common one that one finds on the street: a two-on-one. The defender is outnumbered, with one person aiming to flank him or her from behind while distracted by one of the attackers.

But these were no ordinary fighters, and for two of them, it wasn't going to be all that easy.

The man with red hair began immediately going on the offensive, targeting the warrior nearest to him. The elegant woman of Chinese origin was forced to evade his blows, her impressive flexibility allowing her to dodge, recoil, and redirect… but not attack. No, he was too fast for that. The man simply moved along with her, making it appear as if they were dancing instead of fighting.

But one should not make the mistake that it was merely for show. The man's blows were deadly, and if one of them connected, more would follow.

Just then, the man wearing a black karategi was assailed from behind, a bright blue blast of ki heading towards his back. Without pause or hesitation, he kicked out behind him, absolutely negating the attack while ramming a single palm forward, attempting to hit the woman near the heart area; an attack that had enough force to stop it in one blow.

The woman evaded, but barely, and the attack caused her to go into a spin to her right side. She gritted her teeth as her rib cage compressed inwards, knowing perfectly well that she had just gotten lucky. Her qipao was in tatters from the previous battles, and yet her beauty stood firm, giving her the appearance of a maiden of battle.

The man that had just attacked from behind did not stop his advance; on the contrary. As the shockwave of ki left his hands, he began running after it full tilt, hoping to launch an attack right after the one he had just thrown. The kick came in, but the assailant saw it before it was launched and leapt upwards, sailing over the limb in clean fashion before coming down with a side blade kick, the edge of his right boot aiming towards the red-haired man's upper back.

The attack was a clean hit. The man was knocked down to the pavement on his upper chest, and his attacker rode him all the way until they both crashed into the ground. One simply had a better time of it than the other. But before the recovery was complete and the attacker could set himself, the man in black stood immediately and executed a renewed assault.

'Damn it, he's just too fast! And that didn't look like it hurt at all,' his former assailant brooded as he was forced to block the incoming attacks with his forearms and shins. The woman had recovered by now however, and she prepared for a counterattack that would hopefully get her partner out of the frying pan.

Artfully, she leapt into the air and extended her right leg, aiming to have the heel come straight down atop the red-haired man's head. Knowing that she was approaching, the other attacker prepared an attack of his own.

Sadly, it was not to be, for before the two attacks met him, the man executed his counter. "**Shuuuuu**!" With one leg in the air, he began twisting wildly, drawing the two attackers into the vortex which was instantly created. Said leg battered into them both multiple times before finally releasing them, their bodies spinning violently in a mass of limbs.

They both hit the ground hard, but managed to recover in time… for an air raid. A pair of ki blasts headed towards the man that had attacked from behind, a deep, violent purple in color. It would most certainly be painful if they connected. The target immediately made himself mobile, narrowly dodging the two bolts of energy, leaving nothing but the blacktop for them to smash into.

They left miniature craters in their wake, proving that each attack had enough power to punch through whatever stood in their way.

Sadly, as he was coming back down, nothing could have prepared the man for what came next. The only thing he heard before he got hit was the woman yelling, "**Tenshokyaku**!" At that point, it was too late to do much about getting hit with three kicks to his lower back. As he went flying and attempted to recover in mid-air, it wasn't really all that much to knock him back upwards again.

"**Shoryuken**!" her partner shouted as he launched himself upwards with blinding speed, one of his fists leading. It rammed clean into the man's solar plexus, knocking the air out of him before he had time to prepare. With the breath leaving him in rapid fashion and his senses confused, there was only one conclusion as to what would happen next.

The two attackers on the ground focused their energies, willing them towards their hands in what could be considered a devastating assault. As soon as he came in between the two of them, they each launched their attacks, timing them so that they would collide on their mutual target at the same time. The ki bolts shot forward with all haste, and the attack was successful, producing a brilliant light and a blast wave of sheer pressure.

The woman grinned and said, "That _had_ to hurt him at least a little!"

The man was silent, waiting for a response.

The light and sound and fury lasted only a scant few moments before the man's profile was revealed in all the dust and debris. The jacket of the uniform he had worn was torn right off of his chest, leaving only the pants, sandals, and black grappling gloves. His eyes glowed, the fires of hell shining from them. He bled from both front and back from the combined attacks, and yet still moved.

"Impossible," the woman whispered as she settled into her stance again. "That would have taken anyone out, including him!"

The man who was helping her out smiled sadly and said, "You forget, he won't stop moving until he's dead, or we are. This has got to end now, before things get worse."

The red-haired man did not say anything, but he did do something. He vanished from eyesight, appearing behind the woman in what appeared to be a fraction of a heartbeat. She sensed him at the last second before his instep hit her right temple, and managed to lithely bend backwards, narrowly avoiding the roundhouse kick that was too fast for mere description.

'How does he always do that?' she couldn't help but wonder as her body automatically responded to his next attack, a Shoryuken that had such strength behind it, the hand that was used in the attack radiated a ki that shone a dark purple. She rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the fist that would have torn her in half, but she knew that she could not run forever.

The red-haired man bled, and still he moved with a speed that was inhuman, shifting and moving as if he were entirely unfazed by the combination of attacks. But he couldn't move for long, even as he continued his attack. The timer was slowly ticking down until he passed out on his own, and somewhere in his battle-lust, he knew it. They must both die soon.

He began executing one attack after another, making the annoyingly resilient woman before him constantly move backwards under the pressure of his assault. Soon, it would get to the point where she would not be able to keep up, and then…

He felt his fist impact with the right side of her head. He could almost hear her brain rattle in its cage. But it wasn't enough. As the woman staggered from his left hook, his left leg impacted on her floating ribs with the force of a baseball bat swung by a major-leaguer. He felt the bones break and heard her gasp in pain. It only fueled him forward. This was the end…

"**Messatsu!**" He focused his energies into his right fist and prepared a devastating attack that would kill her in one sweep. The kanji for providence shone on his upper back as he unleashed his fury, launching into a Shoryuken that rammed into her twice. He felt the ribcage compress inwards as he connected, and immediately followed up with explosive agility, increasing his momentum. Two more hits collided, and he felt multiple ribs snap.

The third hit was the worst. Hitting three times in succession, the final Shoryuken was enough to carve a scar into her, from just above the navel to the middle of her chest. She was launched into the air with a cry of sheer agony; her eyes squinted closed as if to lessen the magnitude of what she had just suffered.

"**Chun-Li!!**" The man shouted as he saw her get knocked skywards, blood spraying.

The man landed, the kanji still glowing on his back. "It's done. For what it was worth, that was a satisfying fight."

She impacted with the ground hard, her broken body showing extensive damage. Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was unsteady. That scar would not fade for quite a while once it healed. That was, if it healed at all… there was so much ki in that last attack that the possibility existed.

Ryu ran towards her, understandably concerned for her safety, but he was barred by the red-haired man as he suddenly appeared before him. "I'm afraid not. This is her fate; the fate of all warriors who are defeated in battle. Look closely, Ryu. Watch your own fate play out before you as she dies."

Ryu grimaced as he quickly channeled his ki into his hands. "Get out of my _way_!" His Hadouken was larger now; bigger in gauge and density, and thus it hit much harder and moved much faster. The man leapt over the attack and came down at Ryu with a flying side blade kick, ramming into his head in the classic opening that the move left after its execution.

The man was knocked down hard, and quickly lifted upwards with one hand. "You see? The weight of your fists is not enough to save anyone. You can't even save yourself." He was about to deliver a punishing blow when his head spun in vertigo. The timer in his mind's eye was too close to zero now; Gouki was about to go unconscious from blood loss.

'I refuse to suffer this kind of defeat.'

He unceremoniously dropped Ryu and said, "Wallow in this defeat. Let it boil within you. Perhaps after a while, you will come to your senses and come at me with your Killing Intent. It is still within you… as it is within all who study Ansatsuken."

He vanished without a trace.

Ryu couldn't help but lay there for a while, his eyes closed in remorse. He wasn't dead… but he didn't win this time; didn't stave Gouki off. Sure, he was gone, but only to tend to his wounds. He still moved, he could still follow them, and if someone didn't hurry, Chun-Li was…

Ryu slammed his right fist into the ground, the pavement cracking with the force of the blow. "Damn it!"

The only relief in this was the fact that he could sense the auras of others as they scrambled to help their boss, the officers rushing towards both her and him in order to get them treated immediately. They were surprised when Ryu stood, saying that he was all right and that Chun-Li needed to be helped by as many people as were necessary.

He felt out her aura, attempted to sense it, and almost despaired when he couldn't immediately make it out. It was there, but it was faint, a wisp of the once strong, vital presence he had sensed before. 'Good, she's alive… but not for long. It's fading.'

He looked directly towards Sakura and Karin's location and said softly, "Sorry, but I'll be late again. I have to take care of this." With that, he walked towards the gathering officers that moved Chun-Li towards the helicopter that would lift her out of the area and quickly move her towards the hospital. Hopefully, quickly enough that she would be spared…

* * *

Sakura's eyes were wide with sheer dread.

'It came true,' her mind reeled. 'The picture in my head… it came true!'

She couldn't stop crying as she stared out towards the site of the battle, smoke rising from the building that was destroyed in the process. Karin could at least see that, and she became as worried as Sakura was. Perhaps she should not have been so pessimistic about the whole thing; she felt bad now that her guess had been apparently proven accurate.

'If I had senses as acute as hers,' she thought to herself, 'I could pinpoint her exact condition. She can't be dead this early… but I have no choice but to assume the worst at this stage.'

"She did all she could," Karin said in an attempt to comfort her friend. She could tell it wouldn't be enough, but she had to try. "Besides, he's probably not coming for us anymore, at least for now." At least, she hoped not. If they weren't able to slow him down or stop him, the two of them were very much in trouble.

Sakura simply remained frozen to the spot, mute and deaf. She still had so much to learn, and now her chance was gone, taken from her by a man she barely knew, much less understood. But she knew his ki as if she had bathed in it forever, and she could sense no trace of it. Karin had a point; he was gone, or at least hidden, for now.

The young woman did not take comfort in this. She couldn't sense Chun-Li anymore either and she didn't know if the woman could mask her ki like Gouki could. For all she knew, the woman could be dead… her mind flashed the image in her head again, the one where the man with red hair towered over a Chun-Li in a pool of her own blood, and it made her shudder involuntarily.

The chilling sensation that raced down her spine seemed to make her spring into action. Sakura immediately expanded her senses, put every last resource she had available into motion. Her new friend had to be alive; she had to. Otherwise, what justice was there? What had their efforts been good for? In looking for her, she found someone that she had not seen for hours.

'That's Ryu… he's in the air, helicopter. He's worried sick…'

And then, she found her. Sakura gasped as her eyelids snapped upwards, pupils dilated and eyebrows rose. "She's all right!"

Karin looked towards Sakura and said, "You're sure of that?"

Sakura grinned and nodded, then felt out Chun-Li's aura. Her smile tapered off into the worried expression again. "Yeah… but she's in a _really_ bad way. She barely has anything left from whatever Gouki hit her with." Oh, she knew it was him. Traces of his ki seeped from a wound that the ICPO agent had taken like a sinister miasma.

Karin grimaced and said, "And she survived the attack?" The blonde shook her head and said, "It would have killed anyone else, to be certain. But she _lived_ through that… our teacher is something else, huh?"

Sakura nodded silently, still worried. 'She won't be alive for much longer if they don't hurry up and fix what's broken.' She looked towards Karin and said, "They've gotta be headed towards the nearest hospital. Can you track it down?"

Karin was relieved to finally be doing something. She nodded and said, "You just let me know where they're headed, and I'll try and pinpoint the location." Immediately, Sakura closed her eyes and devoted all of her senses to try and track Ryu's aura. Once she locked on to him, it wasn't so difficult to point out where he had finally stopped. After about five minutes of sitting around, which made Karin anxious, Sakura pointed towards the exact location where the helicopters had landed. "There."

Karin looked towards the direction that Sakura was pointing towards and pulled out her phone. "Ishizaki, it's Karin. Could you do me a favor, please? It's urgent."

High above, in low earth orbit, a private satellite began moving into position, scanning over the Central District of Hong Kong Island. The imaging that came back showed the wreckage that was made out of a part of Shek Tong Tsui and the fire that still needed to be put out. A few seconds later, the eye in the sky made contact with its intended prey, though it was not truly prey at all.

"We've found them, Miss Karin," Ishizaki replied over the phone. Karin nodded and said, "Get the address of the hospital, preferably ten seconds ago. We'll be headed over as soon as you give it to me." As soon as she heard them and asked him to repeat the location again, she hung up and said, "Let's move. Our teacher needs us."

Sakura nodded and said, "You got it. We have to help however we can."

'I just hope,' she thought as the two of them began leaving the roof, 'That we're not too late!'

* * *

The world was all black for hours. She felt trapped in a void where sensations ranged between pain and numbness, an everlasting crucible. Her thoughts were scattered; out of place and jumbled, each wanting to have their own say. Any attempts to clear her mind were null and void as three different places in her body called for attention.

'Shut up,' she brooded as she lay there in her own personal purgatory, where it seemed to be filled with darkness that had shape and form. 'Let me sleep, damn you. I don't want to be in pain anymore.'

The only thing she knew right now was that Gouki had damn near killed her. She didn't know where she was or what was going on around her; unconsciousness can do that. But she could still sense, vaguely, the places in her body where bones were broken. The gash that had been torn into her was a stark reminder of the consequences of defeat.

Before she had gone comatose, she could tell that four ribs were cracked, two of which had almost penetrated into her vital organs, and that she was bleeding profusely at an alarming rate. It was all she could make out before she heard a voice curse loudly.

'He's all right,' she thought to herself before the world went black, the pain seeming to cross the boundaries of her conscious mind in order to remain with her. She didn't know how, and did not care; Chun-Li was simply starting to become irritated with it. She was also irritated with the fact that she had lost to that man, even though it was the expected result from the beginning.

It meant that he could not be captured. No normal human being could stand against him, much less restrain him.

She couldn't stand the thought of letting someone get away, but she had to. It was the logical conclusion she had reached after sitting in this void of pain for hours on end. She knew that she wasn't dead; otherwise things would be a bit more surreal than this. It was a strange feeling, hanging between one state and the next like this, and one that she would rather not feel again.

As her thoughts went on like this, Chun-Li could see something in the distance, amidst all the darkness. She could make out a vague shape, as if this image were hidden in the back of her consciousness. As she took a closer look, she could find that this silhouette was familiar; one that she had known for her entire life.

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Dad?" Then she smiled. "Of course you'd be here. I always think about you."

The image of her father clarified, and he was smiling towards her. He was saying something, but she couldn't make it out. A few words were clear however just from reading his lips. He was proud of her, would always be watching over her. Saying something about how everyone was waiting for her. Chun-Li wondered if this were her way back, and smiled sardonically.

'This isn't a movie. It doesn't happen like that.'

But she was glad to see him anyway. It certainly kept her company amidst all these things that seemed to go bump in the night. She wondered where they came from anyway, and why they were still here bugging her. They didn't frighten her in any way; just annoyed her. Maybe they figured they would irritate her to death?

She chuckled at this thought. 'Like that hasn't nearly happened before when I was starting in the ICPO. But never mind that… where's the nearest exit out of this freak show?'

She didn't think that she would find it just by asking. Surprisingly however, she felt a presence behind her, and looked over her right shoulder. It wasn't exactly a person, but a doorway of sorts, carved of light. She raised an eyebrow and said to herself. 'Okay, maybe it's sort of like a movie.'

She stepped through, and found herself looking at the hospital room that she lay in. A momentary sense of vertigo swept through her as she looked straight down at the work that the doctors were doing. She couldn't see Ryu or her students anywhere, but that was only natural. They had to concentrate, after all.

But that wasn't the odd part… what was strange was that she could see something coming from her wound. She had a feeling that the doctors couldn't see it. No one but a martial artist that had trained in such things could notice it. She grimaced and thought, 'That's the reason for the creepy crawlies and the constant pain, I bet.'

A dark purple ki flowed from her wound, suffocating it. She had a feeling that as long as that was there, blocking the way, it would never heal normally. She needed someone to cleanse Gouki's dark energy away, or else there could be unforeseen complications.

'They won't be able to do that,' she mused to herself, 'but Ryu probably could. Too bad he's not here. Maybe he can help me later, after these guys save my ass.'

She hoped they would, really; because if they didn't, she was going to be pissed off like nothing else. Fortunately for her, as she watched the whole scene unfold, her condition stabilized before her eyes. While that didn't mean that they were out of the frying pan yet, it did mean the heat was turned down.

'Bleeding's stopped, they've managed to locate the broken ribs and isolate them, should take a few weeks to get back to normal… a month, to be realistic. It means I'll have to stay home,' she thought to herself with a wry smile. She knew perfectly well how the drill went, even before the doctors said it themselves.

And she also knew that she wouldn't want to accept their advice, nor follow it. Still, she resolved to follow it, for once. She never had until that moment; too busy trying to catch criminals and save the day. But here before her was an opportunity to rest and reflect on the battle which she had fought, and lost. By some odd chance, he had not killed her outright. He probably expected his final strike to do just that, what with all the blood she had lost.

'He knows exactly what his moves can do; range, speed, priority, effects on the body. Had that move been properly executed, I wouldn't be here contemplating my fate.'

It meant that no matter how good he was, he still needed improvement. A move like that could literally tear through someone without stopping. Next time, she could use it to her advantage… she just didn't know how yet.

Oh yes, she would be fighting him again. Just because she couldn't capture him didn't mean there weren't other options. They had a name, they had a face, and they had a description. Gouki could be tracked, and once she found him, she would keep him as tied up as she could. After all, that was the original plan.

'There's no way I'm letting you have Sakura,' she resolved in her mind. 'She might not know how important she is, but I do. You're not having your way with me a second time.'

* * *

"Can we see her yet?" This was the first thing that Sakura asked Ryu as she approached him. They knew exactly what was going on, thanks to Karin's reconnaissance work. Sadly, Ryu shook his head almost immediately. "Sorry, they're not taking visitors right now. She got kicked around pretty badly," he said as he sat back down. He grimaced and said, "We both did… but it bought us some time, I think."

He wouldn't say how much time; he didn't know. To be honest, Gouki could be coming after them immediately after recovering. If that happened before they left Hong Kong, he wasn't sure that he'd be able to stop the Ansatsuken master from taking Sakura and turning her into another murderous warrior. Once that happened… well, he didn't want to think about it.

Karin nodded and said, "Then it's advisable that we leave now, before he recovers from whatever you did to him."

Sakura shook her head and said, "We _can't_ do that."

Karin looked towards her friend and said, "We _have_ to. I know you're worried about Chun-Li, but it'd be best if we left without any formalities. If she and Ryu bought time for us, we should be using it to get as far away from Hong Kong, and China, as we can."

Sakura looked towards Karin, her eyes glassy. Usually, the blonde made perfect sense, and Sakura agreed with it, but logic be damned this time. "But if we leave without showing her what we learned, it's going to be for nothing, right? Besides, I want to make sure she's all right. And it'd be rude to leave without saying goodbye.

They seemed to glare at each other for a moment, each forming arguments and counter-arguments in their head.

"I agree with Sakura," Ryu said softly, causing them both to look towards him. "We have to look after her until she can at least talk to us. I want to hear what her plans are; she's bound to have a few tactics in mind. Besides… it _would_ be rude to leave without saying goodbye."

Karin sighed and Sakura grinned. "Got it," they both said. Sakura added, "So are we going back to the hotel for now?"

Ryu nodded and said, "Yeah, we are. There're a few things I need to start teaching you about, Sakura. And you have to have developed your new moves by now; I want to see them." He looked towards Karin and said, "That goes for both of you. I know we haven't fought before, Karin, but I expect nothing less than your best when we fight."

She smiled and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, don't worry… you'll get it."

Though they were all excited about the next few hours, the fact remained; Chun-Li had been taken down handily. They couldn't run forever, and sooner or later, he would catch up again. How long would they have to keep running like this? Would there ever be an end to it? And if there were, what would change? Something would have to change in _someone_ when it was all over.

They could only hope that the results were good ones.

* * *

**Round 28: **_**Agony of Defeat**_

AND THERE IT GOES! I really didn't expect my mind to tweak it that way; I was actually hoping for a win against Gouki. She got hit with a _Messatsu Gou Shoryu_, full on, and still lived through it. Unfortunately, Chun-Li will be out of action for the foreseeable future. Not dead mind you, just put out of the fight. I'll still have her in the last few chapters, but she is effectively a non-combatant until further notice. Now the question is, will Gouki actually have to use his full power on someone, and who will it be?

The answer is, as of yet, unknown. But rest assured; I will make it the _fight of a lifetime_!

Again, thanks to my readers who have looked after this story for a good long while. We're in a whole new month here, and that means new mayhem. Where will they go next? What sights will they see and who will they meet (and beat to a pulp)? When will be the next time Gouki catches them unawares, and will he succeed in capturing Sakura?

Only time will tell, fans. Only time will tell.

Cheers!

_I've never seen such a display of power!_


	29. Ferocious Tactics

_I've never seen anyone so brave in my life. That's what I thought to myself as I stood in front of a badly injured, but still breathing, Chun-Li, resting happily in her bed at the hospital. Her brown eyes were still as sharp as ever as she regarded Karin and me with what I took as pride. It might not have been all that complicated, but it was what I saw. The scar that had been torn into her would take some time to heal over, but once it did she'd be back to her old self again. _

_When I saw it, the scar, it reminded me of one that I'd seen before. This one was longer and looked more menacing; it looked like the attack had almost literally torn her in half. If that was what a real Shoryuken could accomplish, I didn't want to learn it. The martial arts are not for killing, and I stand by that one hundred percent._

_In my mind, the only thing I wanted to do at that point was give Gouki a scar of his own so that he could feel the pain that Chun-Li must have felt. But when I said that, she told me something important that I'll never forget to this day: "Revenge is fruitless; it doesn't bring satisfaction in the end, only emptiness. Getting back at him won't change what happened, and besides, he'll kill you if you try. Your life is more important than that, so don't attack out of anger."_

_I'll never forget the wisest, toughest, most incredible teacher I've ever had the honor of studying under. If anyone, including her, reads this diary one day, I want to leave these words…_

_Xie xie, Chun-Li lao shi._

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

There was something wrong with not being able to watch it up close. Chun-Li felt disconnected somehow, even with Sakura and Karin there with her. Ryu was nowhere to be found for the moment, but he was certainly in the video that she was observing. The familiar white gi and red headband were on, which meant he was entirely serious.

The interesting thing she noticed about Sakura was that she had a similar uniform on too, except that her headband was white. However, her grappling gloves were the same color as his, which made her smile. 'She really does want to be like him, in a fashion.'

The video seemed to be starting as the two of them stood facing each other. Sakura looked towards the screen and said, "Are we rolling?"

Karin's voice was loud and clear from behind the camera. "Yeah, we are. Just hang on for a second." Karin's face appeared after a few seconds, blocking her view of the other two fighters. "Hey, what's up? This video is for our teacher, Chun-Li, showing her what she couldn't be there to see herself. We've finally made up our moves, Sakura and I, and Ryu here has asked for us to try them out on him. Now, this isn't fake or any kind of trick; this is a real fight, and you are going to see someone get hurt before it's over. This is to prove that the moves actually work, so brace yourself. Get well soon, _lao shi_!"

Her face, framed with blond ringlets of hair once again, vanished as she said, "All right, show time. Give it all you got when I say go."

Sakura and Ryu bowed to each other and took their stances. "Okay, ready? Three, two, one… _go_!"

Sakura wasted no time as the adrenaline spiked through her system. She took control of it, let her body do what it was trained to do, and burst forward with blinding speed. Ryu stood his ground as the first roundhouse kick came launching forward at his ribs, dropping his left elbow and turning into the blow in order to take away the kick's power.

She didn't stop there as she recoiled and leapt towards him again, her fists flying in a remarkable display of speed as seven punches came forward in the space of a single second. She was definitely taking this seriously, and Ryu felt the fists impacting on his forearms as he was forced to absorb the entirety of the assault.

When their training started, he wouldn't have felt the blows. Now, even through the padding, he still experienced the magnitude of her flurry. And there was no doubt that every punch thrown had her weight behind them. 'She's definitely improved. I'll have to work a little harder this time.'

From the corner of his eye he saw the left roundhouse incoming, straight towards his femoral nerve a few inches above his knee, and lifted his leg to check the kick. Sakura didn't seem to care, the expression on her face unmoving as she continued pounding at him. Another kick was immediately launched, same leg, as soon as the toes hit the ground. The target was the floating ribs as she turned her waist and lay into him like someone swinging a sword towards his midsection.

Ryu grimaced as the kick went through, making his lower ribcage rattle. It was time to respond, now. As he staggered backwards, Sakura chased after him, ready to get a few more hits in. Of course, the kick from him came sailing forward as she came rushing inwards, but she parried it with such a reaction time, it appeared that she knew it was coming. 'I have to keep getting inside his range,' she had strategized before the fight began. 'He has a longer reach than I do; I have to get inside that reach, and then hit him hard without stopping.'

But that was before the fight had started. Now, her mind was empty and her heart was full. Full of what, one might ask? What emotion could she be feeling at the moment? Surely not fear. No, anxieties were for someone that was not prepared for a fight. Anger or arrogance had no place here either. While her mind was not fixed by emotion, her heart seemed to just about burst with a nameless joy, a thrill that was unmatched by anything else.

She made that joy known as she powered forward, striking forward with her left fist. Ryu raised his arm to parry, just before he was hit with a right punch to his ribs. He was fortunate now for the rigorous conditioning that his master had put him through- the blow dug in one inch past skin and flesh, but it didn't get anywhere near the intended target.

'But I'm still taking blows,' he said to himself, 'and her kicks are something else. That last one hurt.'

Even as this thought passed through his mind, he immediately responded, a left hook ramming into her temple. Her brain rattled in her skull and her vision blurred slightly. If there were any more force behind that, it would be a clean knockout. For the moment, she staggered backwards, attempting to quickly clear her vision.

Sakura had lost the initiative.

Ryu advanced swiftly; attempting to dismantle her while the stun was in effect. 'Crap,' Sakura thought as she immediately entered defensive mode, the right front kick taken at an angle by the palm of her left hand. She came in again, but he was ready this time, quickly resetting himself and throwing a jab her way to keep her well within range of his strikes. She was forced to catch it on her right hand, and caught the uppercut that followed on her left.

He simply did not stop striking, and began using his momentum to put pressure on Sakura. For the most part, it worked; the woman gritted her teeth as she began defending herself against his assault, taking punches on her forearms and the palms of her hands.

'Damn it, I can't hit him!' She couldn't help but wonder if he had been holding back the last few times they had sparred. If he had, he certainly wasn't doing so now. The look in his eyes proved that point.

She decided that it was time to stop running, and slipped past the next punch he threw, a left jab. The right immediately followed, and she slipped again, pivoted on the balls of her feet, and moved around Ryu. Oh yes, definitely time to stop running.

He turned to face her again and renewed his attack, but just as he lashed out with his right fist, she immediately snapped her own at him as it was midway through its flight path. The counter attack was clean, going straight through the opening that his attack had created. It was immediately followed by another with blinding speed, and the combination of attacks made him reel backwards.

'Bingo,' she thought to herself as she snapped a front ball kick into the front of his right thigh, digging into it and aiming close to his hips. Ryu staggered further backwards as the quick attack landed, hitting a nerve. Pain shot up his spine as she demonstrated her knowledge of technique on him. And then, he felt it… the ki was being channeled through her left arm, into the hand, and it would be coming out very quickly.

"**Hadouken**!" she shouted as she launched the shockwave straight into her teacher. The video seemed to brighten slightly as a large-gauge sphere of energy rammed into Ryu's solar plexus, forcing him through the air along with it and making him fall to the ground after a few moments. The whole scene froze as Karin pressed the pause button.

"Notice anything odd about it?" she asked Chun-Li.

She looked closely for a moment, and then shook her head. "No, I don't… it looks like the standard move to me."

Karin smiled and said, "Let me play it back for you…" She rewound the tape, began playing again, and then paused it at the part where Sakura executed the move, the light blue sphere of ki racing through the air ten inches in front of… the _single hand_ that was outstretched.

Chun-Li was silent for all of five seconds before she turned towards Sakura. "You made that up?"

The Japanese brunette grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I did! Well," she said after thinking about it for a brief moment, "Not really. Someone else uses that variation… just not too well."

Karin smirked as she remembered Dan Hibiki. "He wasn't very good at it, was he? But this is the way it should be done. See her form? It's just like Ryu's, except she focuses that same amount of energy through a single palm instead of two. You do know what that means, right?"

Chun-Li nodded, but had a hard time believing it. "She could very well become stronger than he is, as far as using the moves." She smiled towards Sakura and said, "Of course, I won't be able to see that strength any time soon, but that doesn't make me any less proud of you."

Sakura bowed slightly and said, "I'm honored to hear that from you. But just keep watching – you haven't seen anything yet."

Chun-Li turned her attention back towards the screen, interested now to see what else her student knew. The video returned to normal play as Ryu quickly got up, the attack definitely leaving its mark on him. All the conditioning in the world would not be able to help against an attack powered by ki. Sakura was already on top of him, ready to continue her assault, but he would have none of it. He dipped low and attacked with a right leg sweep. Sakura immediately turned forward momentum into upwards movement, executing a jumping roundhouse kick that had enough force to make her turn in the air. Immediately, he leapt into the air, attempting to use the gathered momentum to his advantage as he attacked with that same leg in a jumping roundhouse of his own. Sakura was thinking the same thing, except she tried to catch him low. As a result, they both missed again.

Chun-Li chuckled. "And they say you can't duplicate what's in the movies."

Ryu landed, Sakura stood up, and both launched their attacks at the same time, a vicious right straight that sent them both reeling backwards. Well, not both of them… because Sakura made hers extra-special. "**Sandanjuu**," she shouted as the ki suddenly appeared around her right arm, twisting around as if it were its own miniature whirlwind. Ryu's own attack was blasted through entirely, and the attack hit him three times in succession before the fist itself rammed home with enough force to knock him five feet back.

Karin raised an eyebrow as she watched the video, still not believing her eyes. "That is still the most impressive attack I've ever seen. She _definitely_ made that one up, I guarantee it." Chun-Li nodded and said, "She's certainly on her way to making the style her own, that's for sure."

Sakura couldn't help the beaming grin that spread from ear to ear.

She rushed again, hoping to keep the pressure up. And that was when she felt it; the surge collecting in his hands, too fast for her to stop. She gritted her teeth and prepared to respond immediately. What she didn't expect was to launch his variation of the Hadouken. "**Shakunetsu**," Ryu said as he launched the surge, lit on fire.

'_Crap_!' With no time to think and a big ol' fireball headed at her, she did the first thing that sprang to mind. "**Sandanjuu**," she shouted with desperation, her eyes shut tight as her right fist rammed towards the _Shakunetsu Hadouken_, the ki swirling at a higher rate around her forearm. The attack slammed home into the incoming ki blast… and something unexpected happened.

Ryu's eyes widened as his attack came right back home again, with double its speed. 'What the…?' It was all his mind could make out as the attack slammed into him twice before fading away. He was very careful with his flames, creating an attack that stunned instead of actually burning an opponent, but that same stun had the same effect on everyone, including but not limited to him.

The world seemed to spin as he got up for the second time, this time a lot slower. Every muscle in his body seemed to move through a sea of molasses, and for a brief moment, he wondered what had hit him.

Sakura's eyes opened as she looked towards Ryu, and found him swaying as if he were teetering on the edge of a precipice. 'What did I just do,' she asked herself. She looked at her right hand and clenched her fist, seeing if it was all right. As soon as she found that it was, her mind came to the immediate, logical conclusion, even if she didn't believe it herself.

The video paused and Karin gently put down the remote.

Chun-Li was silent for much longer than five seconds this time. "Did I see," she asked softly, "What I think I just saw?"

Karin nodded. "You did. I don't think she quite understood the implications of it when she did it; it was just on impulse and reaction. But she just sent that red-hot _Hadouken_ right back at the one who gave it to her."

Sakura giggled and said, "It was just the first thing that popped into my head; it was so fast and so big that I couldn't get away. So the only choice left, besides letting it hit me, was to try and go through it."

Chun-Li shook her head and said, "You are crazy." She grinned and said as she looked at her. "Crazy is a good thing sometimes. That was the best counter-attack I have ever seen."

Karin nodded and said, "I think you're more than a match for anyone who tries to fight you now, unless they're quite good themselves." It made her rethink the whole rival thing. Sakura was now officially too far ahead of her to mount any kind of catch-up. Her only option now was to stop comparing herself to the brunette and take her own path.

'Chun-Li was right… Sakura _is_ holding me back.'

Sakura made her response by scratching the back of her head and saying, "I still have a ways to go. I haven't mastered it yet; there's a lot more I could learn from him if I really paid attention." She looked towards the screen again and said, "We haven't even finished it yet. Keep going!"

They both nodded and got back to their regularly scheduled program.

Sakura broke from her haze and said to herself, 'This is it. I can't waste any more time. He'll recover if I do!' She got a move on immediately, channeling ki into her legs to speed things up. Ryu did indeed recover, but as soon as he did, she was all over him. He gritted his teeth as he began defending from her attack strings, forced to move backwards.

'That attack of hers,' he thought, 'is more than it seems. I can't just catch her off guard with my Hadouken anymore…' this was even as he attempted to escape from her, but she began cutting off his lines of evasion. The pressure never stopped coming as her blood ran hot, and she forgot all about actually winning the fight.

He could tell that she was completely absorbed in the battle they were having. Her brown eyes were alive, shining and wide. She had a smile on her face even as she launched her attacks. Her ki raced through her meridians as if it were a raging river instead of a smooth flow.

Ryu couldn't help but smile as well. 'She's lost herself in this fight.'

It was time to end it, however.

She came in with a front kick, which he handily jumped over before executing a _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku_ in mid-air, carrying him as far away from her as it could. He had to stay outside of her range; _far_ outside. He was getting battered the closer she got.

'Stop this…'

Ryu began preparing an attack that she surely could not redirect. If she tried, it would probably fry her. "**Denjin**," he said as soon as he landed and turned to face her, immediately getting into the preparation stance for the Hadouken. But this time there was a twist as electricity raced along his skin, towards his hands, and began building up. Sakura had turned around and began moving towards him with a speed that was too fast to be real, but he didn't care. He simply kept his eyes locked on her, continuing to focus electricity into his surge.

She was halfway towards him, and yet he did not move. "This is the end," Chun-Li said sadly, "She can't avoid this one."

Karin shrugged and said, "That's what I thought too. But watch closely…"

Sakura had crossed three-fourths of the distance, and then he let it free. "**Hadouken**," Ryu shouted as he unleashed his latest variation of the Hadouken, one that acted in the same manner as a stun gun. The body's systems would lock up as thousands of volts of electricity ran through them, giving the defender enough time to mount an escape or an additional assault.

Sakura didn't care.

Immediately, as the surge flew towards her direction, she launched upwards, her powerful calves acting as springs. The ki that ran through her only served to help her along, and she cleared not only the incoming attack… but Ryu's head as well. She landed, turned, channeled her ki towards her legs… and kicked upwards with her right leg, the attack ramming home and sending him flying.

Chun-Li nodded and said, "Now, _that's_ how you do it. Good."

It was not over. Chun-Li raised an eyebrow as Sakura went right up with him, forcing her right leg towards the ground in order to utilize the ki she had channeled into the principle of the Tatsumaki. Without even thinking about it, she unleashed a massive Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku… and it hit more than three times. Four, five, six went the outstretched leg, ramming into Ryu time and time again. She spun so quickly that her body was a blur, making her look like a helicopter. After eight revolutions, she finally shouted out the name of her attack, ramming her right leg into Ryu in a mid-air back heel kick.

"**Shinpuukyaku**," she said as Ryu was sent flying, an outburst of ki sent through Sakura's right foot. He hit the roof hard, his ribs hurting like nothing else. He was lucky that the kind of ki used in the style he was taught was harmless. But one thing was for sure… he was not getting up for a while.

Sakura landed and pumped a fist in the air. "I did it!"

The video paused amidst Chun-Li's applause. "_Fantastic_! That was amazing, Sakura!"

She bowed again and said, "I figured I would use it in a kind of last-ditch situation. Did that count?"

Chun-Li chuckled and said, "Oh, it counted. I think you judged correctly; that attack would have put you in a world of hurt. I'm glad you have a move that serves you well, and I'm humbled that you used the kick I taught you as the opener for it."

Sakura laughed again and said, "To be honest, I didn't think I could pull it off before he recovered! If I were a fraction of a second later, it wouldn't have mattered- I'd have been knocked for a loop. But I don't think I was concerned about that at the time."

Karin chuckled and said, "I don't think so either. You looked like you were having a good time out there. And I think the name's appropriate as well; _Divine Wind Leg_. It certainly blew him away, that's for sure." She cleared her throat before the pun was recognized as a bad one and said, "Let's move on to the next one, shall we?"

* * *

Ryu arrived later that day, flowers cradled in the crook of his right elbow. He didn't know what kind she liked, or if she liked them at all. He didn't have the time to worry about such things in his life. Besides, she was just a friend, and nothing more.

Everyone he met along the road was nothing more than a friend. There was a special place for everyone in his mind, and he didn't really reserve any sort of place for just one single person. If he did, where would he go from there? Besides, travelling around was important for Ryu. He had to keep moving around and looking for challenges.

But not today; today, it was time for a bedside visit.

'It's been three days,' he thought to himself. 'I certainly hope she's doing better.'

He heard animated conversation the closer he got to the room, and as he entered, found the ladies watching something. Ryu slipped into the room, seemingly unnoticed, and looked towards the television. What he saw made him grimace: Karin lay into him with one kick after another, four roundhouse tornado kicks before a final, single-leg tornado crescent rammed into him from above, hitting five times as it arced downwards.

Each of those first four tornado kicks counted for not one hit, but two each. Karin had somehow learned how to focus her ki into the striking leg upon impact, doubling the force immediately. How she had learned this was unknown to him, but it certainly worked well enough; he was taken down handily. "**Ikai no Mai**," Karin shouted as the last kick was executed, knocking Ryu down to the ground.

Sakura grinned and said, "That was awesome! I didn't know you could string so many of those kicks together like that," as she watched in amazement.

Karin chuckled and said, "Well then, now you know. Just be fortunate that I didn't use it on you."

Chun-Li placed a hand on her chin and said, "Well that begs the question, what if you and Sakura fought each other with these new moves? Which one would prevail?" She immediately looked to her left and asked, "Well, Ryu? You would know; you were hit with them both. Which one's better?" Yes, she knew he was here, even before he had entered the room.

He shrugged and said as he walked towards a nearby chair, the flowers still in hand, "I don't really know. I mean, they're both powerful new techniques, but they do have their weaknesses. I'm not really going to say what they are at the moment, but I will say that if either of them miss or are properly defended against, it's not going to be pretty. It's the downside of all moves like those; they can still be avoided."

Sakura and Karin were silent. That wasn't an answer! But Chun-Li shrugged and said, "Well either way, they struck during an opening in your defenses that they forced on you. Those were excellent fights on both counts." She then noticed the bushel of flowers that he had brought and smiled. "Those are for me, aren't they?"

Ryu nodded and said, "Didn't know which ones you liked."

Chun-Li chuckled and reached out to take the flowers from him. Even now, she was beautiful; at least he could admit that to himself. "It doesn't matter; they're flowers. I like flowers regardless of what kind they are." She received them, took a deep breath, and smiled warmly. "Thank you so much. You always were kind, Ryu."

He bowed and said, "It's the least I can do for getting you into this mess." He sat down again and said, "Well… on to business."

Chun-Li nodded and placed the flowers at her right side. Her face had taken on a serious expression. "I'm out of action for the next few weeks, as I expected. I hate to say it, but this is one man that even Interpol can't capture. We've lost too many good officers already to this guy; I don't plan on wasting any more lives."

Ryu nodded, but said nothing. She had to have a plan… or else they were going to be moving without stopping for rest. That wasn't good for anyone involved.

Fortunately for him, it didn't end there. "The good news is we have a name, a face, and a description. They're already in the database by now, so our satellites can track him anywhere. Gouki might be able to avoid someone detecting his aura, but he can't escape the Eye in the Sky. As for what to do once we get a fixed location on him, leave that to me. This is official police business now, so neither of you has to worry."

Ryu smiled in relief. "Thanks; that's all I need. Once she learns everything, I'll head towards a friend of mine. He's got a student of his own that practices the same style. Once the two of them meet… well, I suppose they're on their own. They'll have to learn how to counter each other."

Karin understood why by now, but said nothing. Besides, she wasn't Sakura's rival anymore. Of course, Sakura didn't know that yet, but she would soon.

Sakura was quiet for a moment before she said, "I want to learn how to hide from him until that happens. I mean, there's a way to do it, right?" She looked towards Chun-Li and said, "If he can do it, so can I. I promise I won't use my skills for anything bad."

It was as if she expected the woman to know the answer. Chun-Li however, shrugged and said, "I don't know how. If I did, I'd have taught it to you before this point. However, I can point you in a direction, and it'll be up to you whether or not you head there."

Sakura's eyes widened, and it almost seemed as if her ears twitched. Karin got a mental picture of them doing just that, and it almost made her laugh. But she wanted to know as well, so she refrained from doing so.

Chun-Li closed her eyes and said softly, "There's someone in India; a yoga master who has such fine control of his body and his energy, he can execute feats that are seemingly impossible. He's a hard man to find these days, but if anyone can teach you how to mask your aura, it's him. His name's Dhalsim."

Ryu's eyes widened. That man… he was in the second World Warrior tournament. The two of them had never fought, due to him forfeiting. Still, from what he could see, Dhalsim's arms were long-range weapons, and it was difficult for combatants to get inside his range. Ryu might not have always fought in the tournament, but he did watch every fight he could.

'She's got a point. He could probably teach her much.'

Karin nodded and said, "Then we'll go see him. I'll make the arrangements as soon as possible." She smiled towards Chun-Li and said, "I'm definitely going to miss you… can we keep in touch?"

Chun-Li smiled and replied, "We'll _have_ to if you guys want to stay two steps ahead of Gouki. Both of you will have to give me your e-mails so we can do just that. I'll also need your phone numbers, just in case. You two have to let me know how the training is going at least once every week. Got that?"

Sakura grinned and said, "Sure thing! We'll be able to sneak past Gouki in no time; just you wait!"

Ryu wasn't really all that sure about that, but with Sakura and someone as strong-willed as Karin, who knew? They may have a chance to avoid detection. Besides, Sakura may learn more than just masking her ki from Dhalsim… He nodded and said, "That's settled, then. We'll head for India next."

The three of them stood, with the two women taking what may be the last look they would at their one-time teacher. They both bowed deeply and said, "_Xie xie, lao shi_. We'll never forget you."

She bowed back and said, "Neither will I forget about you. And don't worry, we'll keep in touch. You certainly will be leaving a part of yourself back here; come back to get it one day."

As the two of them left, Ryu stayed behind and said, "Tell me the truth… are you sure you can take him on next time?"

Chun-Li smiled and said, "Don't worry about me; I'll be up and running sooner than you think. The next time I face Gouki, I'm pulling out all the stops. He won't get the upper hand on me again."

At least, she hoped not. Sooner or later, they would fight enough times that she would be used to all his tactics. And once that happened, she would win time and time again. But for the moment, she knew her chances were slim, and the next time might be the last time. But what else was new? She was a cop; brushes with death came with the territory.

* * *

Back at the hotel, Sakura was poking fun at Karin, which she had not done in some time. While it relieved her blonde friend, it also made her do something rather uncharacteristic. "Ikai no Mai, that's awful poetic of you," Sakura laughed. "Where'd you get that from, some manga or something?"

Karin blushed and glared towards Sakura. "I wanted to pick a refined name that suited the move, that's all. Besides, it's supposed to be a name that represents my transformation into a different person. Don't make fun of it."

Sakura giggled and said, "_Spirit Realm Dance_, though… that's a pretty trippy name." She shook her head and placed a hand on Karin's right shoulder. "I like it, despite how silly it sounds. Like you said, it's fitting; that's one of the most graceful moves I've ever seen. I really do hope you won't use it against me; it looked like it hurt!"

Karin chuckled and said, "Well, I might have to one day. Stay on your toes."

They had already finished packing their things, and Karin had completed all the arrangements by now. He certainly would be a difficult man to track down, this Dhalsim, but if anyone could do it, they could. Besides, she might be able to pick something up from all this, even if it was only peace of mind. And speaking of that…

"Sakura," she began quietly, "I've wanted to talk to you about something for a while now." The brunette turned towards Karin with a raised eyebrow. Karin took in a deep breath and said, "Chun-Li said something was holding me back from truly progressing. I knew there was a block, but I didn't expect it to be as close to me as it was."

She looked towards her friend and said, "It's been fun, but we can't be rivals anymore."

Both eyebrows rose. Sakura didn't quite understand what that meant. "I don't get it… why not?"

Karin sighed and said, "I can't quite remember what she said, but it equated to this: you're holding me back." Before Sakura could speak, Karin raised a hand and said, "Let me finish." Taking another deep breath to collect her thoughts, Karin began explaining. "It doesn't mean that we can't be friends. On the contrary; we'll always be friends, no matter what. But I can't keep comparing myself to you, or anyone else. The only measuring stick I should have for me _is_ me."

Sakura was silent, her mind processing the information even as Karin spoke.

Karin's eyes closed and said, "It's funny, because ever since the first time you've beaten me, I've tried to improve my standards to meet your own, but you never really did anything but want to be my friend. Even when we did become good friends, I was always trying to one-up you." She shook her head and said, "I'm going to stop that, starting now."

Sakura tilted her head to the right and said, "Well if that's all, why didn't you tell me earlier?" She smiled and said, "I knew you wanted to say something, but we never did get a chance to talk. Or rather, you never talked to me. If anything's on your mind, you just let me know about it. I'll always listen." She grinned and said, "Besides, I'm glad you're learning this stuff! It's one of the most important things to measure up to your own self instead of others, especially in the martial arts."

She nodded and said, "Well I certainly see that now. Chun-Li showed us a lot, huh?"

Sakura nodded and said, "Yeah. I just hope she knows what she's doing." She stretched out and added, "Well at least we can sleep a little easier now that she's on the job! Sure she won't be able to catch the bad guy, but she can kick his ass something fierce!"

Karin wasn't so sure about that, but she did her best to remain optimistic like her friend. She smiled and said, "Damn straight. No one can beat our teacher!"

That night, at least, they rested very easy indeed. Tomorrow, they wouldn't have a chance to; they'd be off on the next stop of the tour.

* * *

**Round 29: **_**Ferocious Tactics**_

And there we go! We're almost at the end here; be sure to watch until the conclusion! It looks like the destination has been decided, but the question is, how am I going to write a character that's not my forte? The answer is rather simple: research! And that's just what I'll be doing after this arc is over, so the next part of the journey might take a while.

Anyways, those are the new moves, guys! I'm sure I'll think of a way to use them properly once the time comes to use them. Come to think of it, I haven't had her use the _Rasen Hadouken_ yet. Such a shame; it's an awesome technique. And did you like seeing what the _Sakura Sandanjuu_ can really do? Oh, that's going to be a surprise for a lot of people who like tossing projectiles around.

But let's not look too far into the future. Thanks for reading, guys! I look forward to seeing you again!

Cheers!

_This could turn it all around!_


	30. Beyond the Horizon

_Dear Kei,_

_I know it's been a while since I've written, but a lot of things have happened recently, not all of them good. I would tell you everything, but I'd rather not go into the details. I just felt the sudden need to write to you, since I'd be flying out again! Yeah, this time we're heading to India! I can't imagine what we'll find there, but we're going to have a lot of fun eating spicy curry and checking out the elephants. At least I am, anyways._

_I don't know what I'm hoping to get out of training there, but I hope it's something I can use later. I mean, that's why I'm going around the world in the first place, to add a bunch of new things to the style I'm learning. Speaking of that, I made up some awesome new moves! I can't wait to show you one day, but for now I'll just have to wait for this whole thing to be over and done with. Oh, that sounds bad, huh? Like I want this to end!_

_But seriously, I really miss you guys. I think of you every day, especially Akio-san. I miss teasing him all the time in my letters. Then again, I guess this isn't the time for that, huh? Nah, it's time to get cracking on the real stuff. What real stuff? Well if I told you now, it'd ruin the moment, wouldn't it?_

_So how's everyone been doing? It's been almost a month since I wrote last, so I would expect that things have really taken a turn for the better or worse. Can't tell which, but I would really like to know. Are those other two stooges all right? I mean, they've gotta be; I wouldn't have anything to laugh at if they weren't. But seriously, I hope they're okay._

_I'm about to get on the plane now, so I have to leave. I'll try and send pictures next time, okay? That is, if I have time to with all the intensive training I'm going to be doing. At least, I hope it'll be intensive._

_Your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

"Everything is prepared, Miss Karin," Ishizaki said over the phone as Karin sat waiting for the plane to arrive. "The satellite is on its way to New Delhi as we speak. But isn't this Dhalsim supposed to be a reclusive ascetic that doesn't hang around in cities? As far as I've heard of him, you won't find him in any major population center."

Karin replied smoothly. "That doesn't matter. We're going to start there and branch outwards. I don't care if it takes the rest of the year to find him; we're going to find him. There can't be too many places that he could be hiding. Besides," she added with a smile to herself, "Our phenomenal luck could very well hold out."

What she meant by that of course was that their good fortune in finding excellent people to teach them. Ryu seemed to know just about everyone worth knowing in the world of fighting; that was, everyone worth knowing in the first place. Surely he knew this Dhalsim, or perhaps it was the other way around. Either way, they wouldn't have much trouble finding him if Ryu did know about him.

Of course, part of that luck came from Sakura as well. She was an excellent student to be sure, and if she were anything like Ryu, she would be able to pick up their ki signatures the longer she spent with her various teachers. The only problem she could see was that irritating ability to mask his aura. Ryu could track people from any distance with that ki sense of his, but if one knew how to completely remove all traces of it…

'He'd be exactly like Gouki; pop out from right behind us.'

Karin shook her head and set a determined expression on her face. She _would_ do this. "Have everything ready by the time we land, Ishizaki," she said into her phone. "I'll call to check on you as soon as I can. Get it done." She hung up and sighed to herself. "I'm sorry about that."

"Sorry about what?" Sakura asked as she headed out of the bathroom, wearing a terry cloth robe. Karin looked behind her right shoulder and smiled. "I'm taking Ishizaki for granted again. I swear it's some kind of curse or ingrained reflex."

She put her phone away and said with a raised eyebrow, "You're just now taking a shower?"

Sakura nodded and replied, "Yeah, almost forgot to do that," as one hand scratched the back of her head. "But we've got time before our flight, right? I figure, better late than never. Besides, I want to look my best." She playfully tossed her hair and struck a pose like a model… or at least, in mockery of one. "Am I right?"

Karin blinked for a moment, and then laughed. "You're right; you _do_ have to look your best. Right now, you're not."

Sakura grinned and said, "Guess that means I'll have to get dressed then!"

She headed back into the bathroom after picking out a random outfit from her suitcase, leaving Karin to wonder if Sakura were really taking this seriously. But as soon as she wondered, she remembered the stony expression on her face every time she trained and the worried look on her face as she desperately tried to find Chun-Li.

'Oh, she's serious. She's just trying to keep smiling all the way.'

It was brave of her, and it showed that she had a strong spirit, but could it keep on being so strong? How many times could one's soul be battered before it gave in, and the smile turned into an almost permanent frown, or even worse, the face became expressionless? Karin didn't want to know. Sakura had to be strong; even now, the blonde drew inspiration from her.

She began finalizing the preparations for the trip, having picked out a hotel beforehand. Five stars, of course. It was expected to be hot in India this time of year, so she was already wearing a light blue strapless sundress with a white belt around the midsection. The sun block was already on her skin, and her hair was back in its usual style: ringlets.

Five minutes later, Sakura emerged from the bathroom in a pair of dark blue jeans and a short sleeved white shirt, the denim jacket with the cherry blossom on the back along her shoulders. "Okay, I'm set! Where's Ryu at so we can get out of here?"

Karin said without looking behind her, "I think he's still downstairs, checking us out of the room."

Sakura nodded and began closing up her suitcase, sitting down atop it as soon as she finished doing so. "So what do you think our goals should be once we reach India? I mean, besides finding out where Dhalsim is. If we can somehow get a hold of him, what should we get him to teach us?"

Karin considered that for a moment. It sounded odd to be asked these things; Sakura usually led the way. She knew what she wanted, how to get it, and what exactly needed to be done in order to reach the end. But hearing that she didn't know everything was a bit unsettling. Still, if anything, Karin's mind was a well-tuned machine. She answered almost immediately.

"First things first: you need to learn how to mask your ki. I don't know what that entails, but it would be useful in avoiding Gouki. Other than that though, I figure you could use a bit of fine-tuning on those senses of yours. If we have to find someone quickly and it takes you all of five minutes like it did a few days ago, it could very well be too late for us to do anything, if we can."

Sakura nodded and said, "Got it. What about you? Do you want to learn anything from him?"

Karin went silent for a few moments. So far, she had been almost useless without Sakura being able to find things that she could not. She remembered that sad smile that Sakura had given her when she said that she couldn't blame her for not being able to sense anything. If there were any weakness of hers, that one was the most glaring.

"Well," she said after that brief moment of introspection, "If you need to learn how to improve your senses, I guess I need to learn how to open mine in the first place. I can't imagine how hard or easy it will be, but I have to try."

Sakura smiled and said, "It's only as hard as your mind makes it. Just trust yourself."

Karin looked behind her right shoulder at Sakura and said, "I'll do that." She didn't put sincerity into it, though. She had no idea how to trust herself; perhaps she didn't understand herself at all in the first place. But as she recalled, Chun-Li had opened her imagination. Maybe Dhalsim could reveal herself to herself?

'Now that,' she thought to herself with a smirk, 'is a tongue twister.'

Sakura shrugged and said, "Well either way, we've got a plan; let's go through with it as soon as we hit the ground." She grinned and added, "It'll be fun! Besides, I can't wait to have some chicken curry."

Karin nodded and said, "Roger that. I've got the hotel secured." She was glad that Sakura still had that take-charge attitude. The journey was much less confusing when the brunette took the lead, and it allowed her to make several decisions that helped out along the way. They both heard a knock on their door and Sakura went to answer.

"Hey, we're all set," Ryu said as the door was opened. "Are you two ready to go?"

Karin nodded and said, "That we are. Let's get moving, shall we?" She closed her laptop and put it into her backpack. With that, it was time to load everything up onto the luggage cart and proceed to the airport. Before leaving however, Sakura took one last look at the room and sighed to herself.

'I'm gonna miss this place, again,' she thought to herself as the door closed behind her.

* * *

Chun-Li lay in her bed, eyes closed and yet not restful at all. Her senses were expanded outwards in every direction she could muster, and she wasted no time in locking onto Sakura's aura. She was in mid-flight now, moving across the sea and heading towards her next destination. If there were a way that her thoughts could reach her, she would definitely try it. Sadly, she couldn't read minds.

She would more than likely be able to trace Sakura accurately until she was cut off. Once that happened, she would be sure that the young woman was safe, because if she couldn't sense her, neither could Gouki. Then again, the other edge of that sword was obvious; she could very well be dead. The only difference between the two would be that if she were dying, the aura would fade slowly, as if she were bleeding out.

'If she learns how to mask her ki however, she will more than likely be able to cut it off immediately, like a light switch.' Once that happened, there would be no more need to worry about Sakura, and she could focus her efforts on distracting and hopefully defeating Gouki. She didn't much care how long it took; just that she did it.

'I have to, for the sake of those who have already passed on.'

As the plane passed over the hospital in which she rested, Chun-Li smiled and said, "Go for it Sakura, Karin. You've already made me very proud. It's up to you now to polish and sharpen yourselves until you become a pair of treasured swords. I wish I could do more…"

Just then, her door opened and a doctor in a white lab coat quietly peeked in. "Ah, Chun-Li? It's time that we checked up on your injuries. Do you mind?"

She opened her eyes and gave him a gracious smile. "Do your worst," she joked.

'I'll be fighting too,' she thought as the doctor walked in, closing the door behind him. 'Don't worry; Gouki won't be able to touch you as long as I'm on the case. In fact, I might call in a bit of help, just in case…' But first, she would have to make herself able to walk around. Slowly, she began directing her energy towards the cracked ribs, willing them onward to a speedy recovery.

'Here's hoping that the doctor can't sense chi…'

* * *

The man with red hair and a black karate uniform sat in lotus posture within a cavern located in the mountains of China, his wounds healing slowly as they radiated with his ki, once again a dark red in color. His eyes were closed as he willed his injuries to close and the bleeding to stop. No matter how quickly he moved, it would take at least a week in order for the injuries to heal completely.

'The pain that burns through me only spurs me on. His Hadouken was much more powerful than last time. And that woman… she demonstrated exceptional strength of will.'

His mind still devoid of thought, he had cut himself off from the Satsui no Hadou in order to heal more efficiently. Tapping the Killing Intent that was now a deeply ingrained part of him did more than just make him incredibly powerful. It dulled the pain of battle, removed fatigue and stress from having to move rapidly. One was inexhaustible… and yet at the same time entirely vulnerable.

One could still bleed, bones were still fragile, and ki attacks could still penetrate a wall of thick flesh. If one died, they wouldn't even know it.

'Such is a warrior's fate,' he had long since convinced himself. If he were to die in battle, it would mean he had finally hit his wall. He had decided that it would be the most glorious event in his life, to find someone that could defeat him without incident. But in order to do that, they would have to withstand the full might of the Satsui no Hadou.

No one had been able to bring him to full tilt yet. He had come close enough in the battle between himself, the woman, and Ryu, and it intrigued him.

'I intend to fight her again. It is my hope that she becomes stronger.'

Speaking of becoming stronger… his senses expanded outward for a brief moment as she tracked the girl through the skies. 'You cannot run from your destiny forever. I will show you the true nature of Ansatsuken, and your real purpose. To crush your enemies underfoot is true victory; the defeated are weak, and the victor is the strong. That is the nature of this world. To think anything else is naïve.'

But if that were the case, then why did their attacks, powered by something inferior to his Killing Intent, damage him so? It was curious. He had to know.

But for now, he cut his senses off again and began healing himself anew. He would bide his time until he was fully recovered and then strike again. Gouki would not stop until he had recovered the girl from the path she was on. No, there would not be another Ansatsuken student that followed the path of the weak. The true power had to be passed on.

It would only be a matter of time until he got what he wanted. She would be easy to manipulate, and if she were tougher than she looked, it would simply take a little… convincing to get her to agree. Yes, it was only a matter of time…

For now, it was time to rest and plan his next foray into the world.

* * *

Sakura looked at the clouds as the jet passed through them, her eyes distant and slightly hazy. She had already wondered what this man was like and how he would teach them. She knew perfectly well that not everything was physical, but it was the way she preferred it. The feel of fists impacting against something made her progress feel more real, as if she were heading towards her goal one punch at a time.

'But if I focus on just one part, I won't be a real fighter, will I?' She wondered what she would have to do in order to learn these new things. And oh yes, they were all new to her. She had only been to India once before in looking for Ryu. Now she was going again, and to look for someone entirely different. Besides, Ryu was going to teach her something else, right? She wasn't done yet.

Sakura smiled to herself as she thought of everything she still had to do. These new moves of hers… she would have to perfect them, use them properly and find out what situation was best to utilize each one. And she still felt that there was one other move she could use, a compliment to the others that she hadn't necessarily developed yet.

Still, that would come later. For now, she looked over at a sleeping Karin and smiled. 'She's got her own things to take care of too. I hope she makes it work!'

Sakura looked out the window again and once again watched the clouds pass before her eyes. 'I might not have gotten to do all that I wanted to, but I had fun in China. I can't wait to visit the other places Ryu plans on taking me. I'm sure I'll run into all sorts of great people and see a lot of awesome things. But most of all, I'll get to learn what I've been wanting to for so long.'

It was her dream. And despite everything else that had happened, it was still coming true.

She just hoped that nothing would happen to stall her progress. At least, not any time soon anyway. So far, she knew she had gotten lucky. But if Gouki caught her before it was finished, could she do anything about it? No, not really. She would just have to keep running until she learned how to hide her energy signature.

'One day,' she thought to herself, 'I won't have to run. Either he'll catch me, or I'll be able to evade him for long enough that I can train in peace.'

She had never stopped dreading the day that she would have to face Gouki. She knew by now that he wanted to train her for whatever reason, but she was frightened of the Satsui no Hadou just from it touching her senses. It was an evil power; she was sure of it. She could always hear the tortured screams of those that it had sent to their untimely ends, as if it fed off of their still-living souls.

'The more he kills, the stronger he gets.'

She had come to that conclusion when she had sensed him fighting Chun-Li. The wails simply got louder and louder the more he fought as he delved deeper into the Killing Intent. Even now, she could hear them, and it made her shiver. Sakura took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and attempted to allow the voices to leave her head. After a few deep breaths, her mind silenced itself again.

With a sigh, she began to lean back in her seat, attempting to get a few more hours of sleep. She felt that she would need it once they landed, as it would be quite the journey on the ground. Sakura closed her eyes and emptied her mind, allowing her body to do what it needed to do: rest.

* * *

"Sakura, wake up," Karin said softly. "We're here."

She opened her eyes slowly, her senses widening as the haze within her mind cleared. Yes indeed, people were leaving the plane, and it was indeed time to get up. She found that she was in no state to even walk around anymore; a nap had turned into a full blown rest, and time had passed quite quickly.

Sakura yawned and stretched out before retrieving her backpack from the seat in front of her, just below. "I don't think I want to move once I lay down again," she said in a rather frank manner. "Could we search tomorrow?"

Karin smiled and nodded. "Sure thing, it'd be a real shame if you ran out of energy while we were walking around. We'll do all our searching tomorrow."

Before long, they were in the hotel, and Sakura was more than happy to be asleep again, Karin however, was still awake, and so was Ryu. She hadn't really talked to him much, had she? Travelling with the man was not enough; she had to get to know him. So it was that she left Sakura in their shared bed and headed towards the man looking out the window at the skyline of New Delhi.

"Ryu," she said softly, "We need to talk."

He looked behind his right shoulder and said, "Sure thing," before completely turning to face her, "What about?"

Karin felt she had to pick her words carefully. It couldn't be about Sakura; too much was about her already in her mind. "Um… I just wanted to get to know you a bit. I mean, I haven't attempted to so in some time, and it's been several weeks now." She didn't want to ramble onwards, so she stopped the flow of words right where it was and waited.

Ryu smiled and said, "There's not much to tell about me that hasn't been said already, but whatever questions you have, I'll answer them."

Karin bowed and said, "Thanks; I appreciate it."

The next few minutes would possibly be the most amusing she had ever had… that, or it would reveal a man that had been a mystery to her since day one. Why was Gouki so obsessed with him? Who was Gouken, and for that matter, Goutetsu? How long had he known Ken Masters? And most importantly, why did he fight? Was there any reason to it, or was he just walking forever on the path of a warrior?

She would have to find out, and it would start right now.

* * *

**Round 30: **_**Beyond the Horizon**_

Wow, that was short. But hey, it does the ending to the whole arc justice. At least I hope so. The interview with Ryu will have to wait for another time, I'm afraid! You'll just have to imagine it in your head for the time being.

Do forgive me for this one being so long in transit; I wanted to make it something special. I just hope that I can manage to draw some attention with this one; just about as much as the end of the last one. But seriously folks, you guys rock for reading this. This chapter, number 30 (can't believe that we've come this far!) is dedicated to you, the readers, for making it possible.

Cheers and good night.

_The stage of battle is set._


	31. Sean's Day Off

Beads of sweat formed on Sean Matsuda's forehead as he performed his two-hundredth leg squat, the weight shorts and vest bearing down on him like a sack of bricks every time he lowered himself. It had been almost a month now, and he was already looking like a beast; his muscles were bigger, more toned; he could jump several inches higher than before; and he could successfully throw two more kicks in his Tornado.

'It's not enough,' he said to himself as he kept on going, his teeth gritting every time he pushed through the ground with his heels. 'I have to keep going! It's the only way I'll ever catch up to him!'

"All right," Sean yelled, "A hundred more!"

Of course, Ken Masters heard this as he walked by and he looked at the closed door with a smirk. "Poor kid," he said as he headed towards the master bedroom. "I suppose I should give him a break. He's just working so hard… he needs to get out of the house, seriously. Training ain't everything."

Luckily for them, they had a basketball court outside, which could also be used to play soccer on, and the front lawn was pretty huge as well, which made for all sorts of awesome things. Besides, it was still summer in California, and there were all sorts of cute girls out there just waiting for some action. Ken shook his head and said, "Too bad I'm married. But I wouldn't trade it for the world."

He figured he would tell him that he had a vacation later; for now, he was headed back to the computer to make a few adjustments to his charts. Well, that and go see how Mel was doing. And snuggle Eliza. Hell, he didn't feel like doing much with Sean at all right now, come to think of it. In fact, he hadn't felt like doing much of anything in the first place, which was why he had given the kid a workout plan and a training regimen ahead of time.

'I'll have to teach him sometime, though. He's getting better. Maybe he'll be able to fight fairly with me one day.'

At least he could admit that much.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter _Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

"You're giving me a break, sensei?"

Ken nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm giving you a few days to yourself. Spend some time to look around outside of the house, make a few friends besides my son, things like that. It's my opinion that you're wasting your time just training all day when there's life to be lived out there." The blond man lifted a finger and said sagely, "It's good to train and train often, but training isn't everything."

Sean raised an eyebrow and said, "But I have to keep on training if I want to be as strong as you are. I mean, it has to be a job, right?"

Ken smirked and said, "Yeah, that's true… but that's all it is, a job. Every job has to have a kind of cool down time to it, a weekend, a vacation. I'm letting you have one due to your improvement." He placed a hand on Sean's shoulder and said, "Think you can handle that?"

Sean scratched the back of his head and said, "Well I haven't played ball in a while, that's for sure. I'll take you up on your offer, though I can't see what good it'll do me."

Ken nodded and said, "You will soon, trust me. Can you drive?"

Sean nodded and said, "Sure, but I don't have a state license."

Ken shrugged and said, "Doesn't matter. I'll get you one later. Just get out there and socialize for once, huh? The more people you interact with, the better. Who knows? You might even make a few connections that'll do you some good later."

Of course, when Ken led Sean to his garage, the young man's eyes widened at his collection. "Holy shit… these must cost a mint! You sure I can drive one? I mean, I wouldn't want to wreck one of 'em…" He was suddenly very nervous as the scene flashed through his head; the usually easy going Ken would definitely be pissed if one of these were totaled.

Ken smiled and tossed Sean the keys to one of his sports cars before saying, "Full tank, and no scratches."

Sean grinned excitedly and said, "Sweet!" He bowed slightly and said, "I'll take good care of it, sensei!"

Ken chuckled as his student just about scampered towards the car in question and muttered, "There, that'll get you out of my hair for a while. I just hope you don't do anything stupid out there." Ken heard the engine revving up, and couldn't hide his smile. He always loved the sound of that engine. Maybe it was just the guy in him, but there was something about his cars that stirred him.

It made him wonder if Sean could handle himself in one of them.

But he shrugged to himself and called out, "Stay safe out there, kid!"

Sean nodded and looked for the garage door opener, which he found in short order, and once the door was opened, sunlight flooded in. Sean was lucky enough to be wearing a pair of black shorts along with a bright red shirt; he wouldn't want to go out in his uniform, now would he? With that, his right sneaker gently nudged the accelerator, and the car smoothly made its way out of the garage.

Ken looked out of the open door for a few minutes, watching as the car accelerated, and Sean easily navigated the turns. He grinned and said, "It's gonna take him three hours just to get off of the grounds. That's plenty of time to get him off my mind."

As the garage door closed, Ken headed back into the house, whistling a merry tune. Perhaps things were looking up today after all. Who knew? Maybe he'd get himself lost so that life would move on as it normally did. But then, as soon as he thought about that, Ken sighed and said, "Damn you, conscience. Or rather, damn you Ryu… you just keep on nagging me about honor."

* * *

The ball fell through the net with a gentle swish time and time again as Sean continued training his shots, attempting to get at least twenty in a row before he moved on. It wasn't like he had anything else to do at the moment, and besides, he wanted to be out in the beautiful Southern California sun. Vacations were meant to be spent outside, after all.

Of course, he was absorbed into what he was doing. His shots were on-point; accurate. He had been playing for so long that he didn't have to worry about anything related to the game, and thus his mind was basically free to wander… and wonder. He thought that his master was already getting tired of him, and wondered why exactly that was so.

'Could he not have wanted to train me in the first place? He certainly does say a lot about doing things on my own…'

Sean shook the thought of it off. He couldn't let things like that bother him. Another shot went through the hoop, but the sight of someone catching the ball on its way down broke him from his focus.

"Nice shot," the young woman said as she dribbled the ball a few times. Sean blinked for a moment as she approached him, wondering when she had gotten there. She looked nice; five foot seven, a slight tan, reddish-brown hair. He couldn't help but grin and say, "Thanks. I played a lot in High School."

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Is that so?" The ball came rocketing towards him like a bullet, and he caught it almost effortlessly, the reflexes drilled into him by Ken taking effect immediately. "You uh, wanna go a few with my friends and me? Don't worry," she added before he could get a word in, "We can hang."

He looked over where she had gestured and saw a couple of guys and a few more ladies hanging out near the entrance to the cage. Sean shrugged and said, "I don't have anything else to do, really." He turned back towards the woman and said, "Sure, let's go. What's your name?"

She smiled and said, "Linda."

He grinned again and said, "Nice name. I'm Sean." He made the ball revolve just on the tip of his right index finger and said, "We gonna do this or what? I'm gettin' fired up."

She chuckled and said, "Well, we'll see how long you're excited after we beat you into the blacktop."

It turned into a four on four, with Linda and Sean on one team along with two of the guys, while the rest were on the other side. It was a game of twenty-one, nothing special. Well, nothing until Sean got the ball. As was stated, he had played before, and knew how to spot a good weak link in the chains of the defense.

'That one,' he thought to himself as he saw one of the young women out of the corner of his right eye. 'She can't move fast enough; doesn't have the reflexes.'

He smiled to himself and began his own personal game plan. Frankly, some of the guys he squared off against could keep up with him, and they were definitely playing rough. But Sean had to remember, there were no fouls out here, no whistles. With that said, he simply began to outsmart them, using crossovers and deceptive moves to make them stumble off balance.

'Damn,' Linda thought to herself as she caught a pass from him, 'He's got some severe handles. Who is this kid?' She had just enough time to drain a shot before heading back towards the other end of the court. On her way back, she took a better look at him and raised an eyebrow. 'Wow… he's not bad looking, now that I get a good glimpse of him.'

By the time it was over, he'd learn most of their names, forget two of them twice, and have a hell of a time. It was past noon when the game was finished, and his team had won two of them. To be honest, it was a good start. Maybe Ken was right about there being more than training. Still, Sean couldn't shake the fact that this was all to get him off of the blonde's back.

He found himself not really caring.

Soon, he began heading out towards Santa Monica, taking Linda in Ken's car while the others hopped into their own respective rides. "I've always wanted to see the beach," he said as he drove onwards. "I mean, being from Brazil and all, I'm not exactly near any coastlines."

One of Linda's eyebrows rose as she said, "You're from Brazil? Which part?"

Sean shrugged and said, "Sao Paulo. It's not really all that interesting, once you think about it." He looked over towards her for a moment and said, "I've been to Rio, though. It's beautiful as nothing else… besides you, of course." Of course, before he realized what he had said, he heard her laugh.

"You trying to hit on me, cute boy?" she asked as she looked out of the passenger side window.

He smirked and said, "Well I'm only saying the truth. It'd be rude not to, y'know?" And of course, his grandfather had always taught him to be polite. But never mind that; she really was something else. Her eyes, a sort of odd mixture between blue and green, were the most interesting things she had ever seen. She looked like she worked out a lot, or at least lived an active lifestyle, so her figure was nothing to scoff at. But what he liked the most was how relaxed she was.

'I wonder if all California girls are like this,' he thought to himself. Just listening to her talk was interesting enough. Of course, he did his fair share as well, and it amused Linda at how animated he was about things.

"So you're half-Japanese," she said with a smile. "That's so kick ass. I love Japan."

Sean looked over towards her and said, "You been there before?"

The girl shook her head and said, "I sure as hell wish I could go, but I'll never have enough money for it. I mean, a plane ticket to there must cost a bundle, and then there's all the currency crap that I have to go through. Plus, I don't know a lick of the language. There are just so many barriers to cross." She smiled and added, "Doesn't mean I can't dream about it, though."

Sean grinned and said, "If you're talking about the language, I could teach you that… if you wanted, that is."

Linda chuckled again and said, "Still trying to hit on me. You're cute."

Sean's eyebrows lowered for a moment. "No, I'm serious. I really do know Japanese. I could teach you; I don't have anything else to do besides train my jujitsu. Why don't you give it a shot?"

Her eyes widened as she said, "Holy crap, you know martial arts as well?" She grinned and said, "Okay, now I'm impressed; you're cute, smart, _and_ tough as hell."

He lowered his head to hide the slight darkening of his cheeks. "I'm not really that good; I mean, I'm still practicing and it needs a lot of work." Sure, even though he had been trained since he could walk, and rigorously at that. He still didn't think much of himself compared to Ken and Ryu.

Linda poked his right shoulder and insisted, "Well it's something I don't know, that's for damn sure." She grinned and added, "You good enough to teach someone else? I don't need much – just one move would be good for me."

Sean couldn't help but wonder who she sounded like in his head. When he realized that she sounded a bit like he did when he dealt with Ken, he couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, I can manage that. And I'll teach you Japanese as well; how's that sound?"

She nodded excitedly and said, "Sure thing! Oh, this is gonna be so awesome." She then paused for a moment and muttered, "Oh, crap… I don't think my mom would take kindly to a stranger just teaching me these things. Um…" Linda placed a hand on her chin and lowered her head for a moment before saying, "Can we meet somewhere? I'll just tell them I've started working out again; it's no big deal."

Sean raised an eyebrow and said, "Sure thing, but I figure it would be better to get your mom's approval first. I don't wanna get in trouble with anyone." Still, the plan was a solid one, and at the very least, he had something to do besides train with Ken. Maybe that was the reason he had been sent out of the house?

But never mind that; they were approaching Santa Monica. "You're gonna love this place," Linda said with a smile, "Especially the beach. I know my way around; I'll give you a lil' tour once we park at the pier."

Sean nodded and said, "Sounds like a plan. Let's go."

* * *

Ken was busy at his computer again, Eliza standing at his right shoulder, watching what he was doing. "Hon, do you really have to be so hard on him? I mean, the poor guy's only nineteen years old. You shouldn't treat him as if he were some kind of project."

Ken sighed and looked behind him, saying, "You want me to be honest with you? He's really annoying, and he's making me take time off from you and Mel. I don't really want to do that, because you guys are important to me." He turned back to the screen and added, "The only reason I'm doing this is because Ryu asked me to. And if it's important to him, then it's damn well important to me, however irritating it is."

Eliza giggled and said, "Then if it's so important, quit treating it like such a burden. I mean, I don't know what these charts mean at all, but it looks like he's getting better and better the harder you push him." She ran a hand through his hair and said, "But should you really be pushing him so hard?"

Ken smirked and said, "Yeah. It's because Gouken-sensei pushed me and Ryu this hard. I don't know if we'd be where we are if he didn't. But this is my idea of time off for him, so don't worry. I'm not worried, after all."

Eliza shrugged and said, "You don't seem worried about much of _anything_, Ken."

He grinned and replied, "That's because I'm not!"

Just then, Ken heard a soft chime coming from his speakers, and raised an eyebrow. It was his computer informing him that someone was at the door. But Sean had taken the car, so it wasn't him; that was for sure. Clicking on the flashing green light that appeared in his task bar, a separate window popped up with a view of the cameras hidden outside.

The guy who stood outside was about five feet, eleven and a half inches. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a red headband tied around his forehead. The leather bomber jacket that he wore seemed old, and yet in good condition. His olive drab pants and dark green muscle shirt definitely denoted him as military… or something like it. The boots completed the look.

"Who the heck is that…?" Ken asked under his breath as he looked at the view that the cameras were presenting.

Eliza smiled and said, "You should see. He doesn't seem like a bad person, with those eyes of his."

Ken looked behind him and said, "Well you know better than I do." He stood, stretched out, and said, "I'll be back, hon. Lemme see what this guy wants."

As Ken headed towards the front door, he wondered why the man at the entrance was so familiar. It was vague, but he could sense something about the guy that he couldn't quite place. It made him smile and mutter, "This is getting interesting…" Of course, as he opened the door he had to look up a bit at him. 'Holy crap, he's as tall as I figured he was.'

Before Ken could speak, the man smiled and said, "Ken Masters, right?"

Ken nodded and said, "The one and only, three-time US Champion. And you are…"

The guy scratched the back of his head and said, "I figured you wouldn't remember me. Maybe I shouldn't have just barged in, huh?"

Ken just peered at him for a moment before saying quite abruptly, "Take that jacket off."

The man raised an eyebrow and said, "Um, pardon me?"

Ken placed his hands on his hips and said, "Just do it, please?"

Alex shrugged and said, "Sure thing."

The jacket came off, and Ken's face began to change a bit. Now the picture was starting to become clear… and as his heavily-muscled frame was revealed with the removal of the shirt, he nodded to himself. "_Now _I remember. You're Alex, that guy who tried to fight me in New York… and lost." Ken chuckled and said, "I'm going to assume… that you got stomped by Ryu as well?"

Alex nodded and said, "He kicked my ass something fierce." Then he added, with a laugh, "Not like I'd let that stop me from fighting him again."

Ken ran a hand through his hair and said, "And I'm betting that you think I know where he is. Well truth be told, I don't…" The champ folded his arms over his chest and said, "I don't keep track of him much these days; we just kinda run into each other, you know?"

Alex nodded and said, "I know exactly what you mean." He stretched out and said, "And I didn't come here to ask about him. I came here to beat you into next month." He smiled, "In a fair fight, of course."

Ken chuckled and said, "You sure you wanna do that? You might be the champion of the World Warrior tournament, but you still lost against me in that fight. What's to say you can't lose again?" Ken placed a hand on the door frame and said, "Save yourself the embarrassment and just head back to whence you came."

Alex's eyebrows lowered as he said, "That's not the answer I was looking for. And do you think I care about _losing_? I just wanna fight you."

Ken was silent for a moment, wondering why all these people were suddenly getting this itch to go toe to toe with him. But no, that wasn't it. It was more like everyone he knew just plain wanted to fight, regardless of outcome. They didn't know anything else; nothing else seemed to move them. It's as if they were all geared for one big clash, and it was like some kind of party instead of a struggle.

The champion chuckled and said, "Damn, it's just plain combat fever."

Alex grinned and said, "You're damn straight. I'm _already_ getting excited. So, you wanna do this or not?"

Ken gave him a nod and said, "Come in. I got just the place we can dish out some pain. Trust me, you're gonna love this. Oh, and don't just leave your stuff there. My wife's gonna freak out when she sees someone without a shirt walking around."

Alex laughed and said, "Sure thing! I appreciate it!"

Upstairs of course, Eliza was watching, and she chuckled at the two. "So we have more guests, huh? Guess that means I'll have to make an extra helping for dinner." She placed a finger on her chin and said, "Or maybe this one can take care of himself? He certainly looks capable enough…"

And while she was wondering what she would make (or rather, how much), Ken and Alex were already fighting their fight in their heads as they headed for his fight studio. Alex already knew how he was going to do this; he wasn't the same man that Ken had fought last time. This time, he would be ready. With that clear of his mind, the man took a look around and said, "This is one hell of a place you got here. Did your family give it to you or something?"

Ken nodded and said, "It's a pain, too. I mean, I don't know what to do with half the stuff in this place, and I just plain avoid the kitchen. That's Eliza's territory, not mine." Ken stood in front of a pair of glass doors and dialed six numbers into a nearby key pad. The doors slid open effortlessly, and there was another set of wooden doors before them. Of course, once those were opened, Alex's eyes widened.

"Holy crap," he said softly. "You were right about me liking this place…"

Ken nodded and said, "Pretty cool, huh? Hey, let me get changed, and then we can see what you're made of."

Alex smashed his right fist into his left palm. "I can't wait."

* * *

The sun was starting on its downward arc through the sky, and Sean was lying on a towel, marveling at the ocean that stretched before him. Lunch of course, was at the nearby mall, where he had the opportunity to get to know his new batch of friends a bit more. Most of them were from the same neighborhood in Los Angeles, and spent most of their time cruising around, looking for courts to play at and new places to hang out. Some of them were already out of school while the rest were on their way to college in the next year or two.

'So most of 'em are like me,' he thought to himself as he lay there, staring upwards at the sun, 'Just normal guys. Of course, I'm nowhere near normal, and if they knew what I could do, they'd flip.'

He grinned at that. He had something unique that none of them could probably imagine. Sean almost wanted to show it off, but he thought better of it. It was best not to go around advertising himself too much, after all. It'd be shameful. Besides, he wasn't ready yet.

"What're you so happy about?" Linda asked as she sat next to him, having finished a game of volleyball.

Sean shook his head and said, "Just enjoying the sunshine." He looked over towards her and said, "Hey, thanks for the tour and the time at the pier. I had fun!"

Linda raised an eyebrow and said, "What, that place?" She blew a raspberry and said, "That rinky-dink ol' junkyard is for kids. There's nothing special about it." She smiled and added, "The arcade though, that's where I usually hang out. It's old, but it's a nice place."

Sean nodded and said, "Everything here is nice." Including her, but he wouldn't say that. No, they were just friends. Besides, he had more important things to worry about than chasing women. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't have one as a companion. "So uh, when do you wanna start training?"

She chuckled and said, "Depends on what you mean by training. Language lessons, kung fu, both?"

He shrugged and said, "Whatever you wanna do. I mean, like I said, I don't have too much to do these days." He stretched out and said, "All I need to know is when we're gonna do this, because my sensei works me pretty hard. I mean, this is an all-day thing I got going here, or at least, most of the day."

Linda raised an eyebrow and said, "And who is this… sensei you're training under?" She paused for a moment and said, "Did I say that right?"

Sean nodded and said, "Yeah, you did. I'm betting most everyone knows how to say it these days."

She laughed and said, "Well what do you know? I already know a bit of Japanese myself."

They both laughed at that before Sean began considering whether or not he should tell her who exactly was teaching him. She could know about him, and then would want to come over, and then everyone would get the wrong idea. No, it was best to keep it a secret for now and say, "My grandfather teaches me, mostly. I mean, he's been teaching me since I was five."

She placed a hand underneath her chin and said, "I wish I had someone training me like that. Not like I'd need it; just that it'd be seven different kinds of awesome, you know?" She stared outwards toward the sea and added, "Then again, I have you to teach me."

Sean nodded and said, "Yeah, I'll take care of it." He looked at the sun and said, "Crap, it's getting late… I gotta get back before I miss dinner or something." He stood up and stretched out again before dusting the sand off of his clothing. "Give me your number, so we can meet up again. I'm gonna need it if you're serious about this."

Linda stood up as well and poked Sean in the center of his chest. "Hang on; you weren't doing all this just to get my digits, were you?"

Sean raised his hands defensively and said, "Are you kidding? I wouldn't do that! I just wanted to make sure we did this right, you know? Not in the way you think, but…" He was certainly not having a good time about this, but was relieved when she laughed.

"You are so easy to tease, Sean," Linda said as she headed towards her own car, which someone else had driven here. "Come on, let's go get that number. You do have a cell phone, right?"

Well of course he did. With that, numbers were successfully exchanged, and he had the idea that everyone could swap numbers, but Linda said, "Nah, probably not a good idea yet. You're a newbie to our group. I figure we could put you through a bit of indoctrination sooner or later."

Sean raised an eyebrow, not liking how that sounded. "What do you mean?"

Linda smiled and said, "Whatever you think it means, cute boy." She began walking back towards the beach and said, "See you again, Sean; hopefully, tomorrow."

* * *

"Chew on _this_!!"

The sphere of ki fired outwards towards the big man, causing him to roll to his right in order to avoid it. Like a linebacker going for a tackle, he charged forward with a grin on his features, blue eyes shining wildly. His opponent, Ken, recovered quickly, leaping towards him and executing a Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku, right foot whirling in a deadly circle.

But Alex had seen this move twice before, and knew what he could do against it. The big guy managed to slide underneath the incoming attack before it hit, and he felt the massive rush of power as it went over him. 'Shit,' he thought to himself, 'He's just as strong as before.' As the man got up, he quickly headed towards his foe just as he landed and, placing one arm around his neck while the other clamped on the back of his head, tried to lock in a rear naked choke.

Ken craftily escaped, lowering his chin before the hold could set and removing the hand on his head. After securing it firmly under his left armpit, he grabbed that right arm, leaned forward, and with little effort, flung him towards the ground as his right leg moved back to take out his balance.

Alex's back hit the hardwood floor with a vengeance, his left forearm ramming into the ground to break the fall before any more damage was done. He could feel his teeth rattle all the same, and his mind happily informed him that Ken still had that right arm under his control.

'Damn it!'

Alex jerked his arm out of Ken's hands, rolled forward, and quickly faced him, getting into his fighting stance again. 'He's fast as hell… I gotta do something to even the odds. And if one of those damn energy shots hit me, it's gonna hurt like a bitch.'

Ken smirked and said, "What are you waiting for? I thought you wanted to beat me into next month!" Ken rushed forward, quickly closing the gap between them. "_Act_ before you _think_! This ain't chess!" A right straight was sent sailing towards Alex, aimed directly for his face.

The big man grinned and said, "Fine with me!" He suddenly launched forward, unleashing a right elbow that was so vicious, the air parted before it. Ken got rammed into as his straight missed its mark, and had to grit his teeth to hold back the pain. Twice the elbow hit, and Ken was sent sailing into the air.

It wasn't over yet.

Immediately after, he leaped into the air, hoping to catch Ken before he could recover from the ride he had just taken. It soon became apparent that he was going for a huge stomp, but it wasn't about to happen. Ken rolled backwards as soon as he hit the ground, and the entire studio seemed to tremble as the stomp rammed downwards, mere inches from its mark.

"**Shoryuken**," Ken shouted after he had recovered, and Alex immediately raised his forearms to block the incoming fist. Said forearms stung something fierce as the fiery flash from Ken's ki-charged fist almost burned them. The key word here is almost- Ken might be wild, but he wasn't stupid.

Alex didn't respond immediately, but waited for the right moment to make his move. 'Come on down… you're already in the path of my attack!'

As soon as Ken was halfway down, it happened. And it was too late to stop it. "**_Eat it_**," Alex shouted triumphantly as he leapt upwards, executing a flying knee strike. Once again, Ken ate his attack, and Alex rode him all the way down, that same knee that had just impacted ramming his opponent into the ground. As Alex backed away, assuming his fighting stance again, the other fighter was in a daze. Still, although Ken saw spots before his eyes, he could continue the fight.

'Damn, he's improved,' the blond fighter mused to himself as he cleared the cobwebs from his mind. 'I'll have to get serious now.' A few seconds later, Ken sprung upwards onto his feet and settled into a fighting stance again. "Not bad," he said with a nod of approval. "You ready for the real thing now?"

Alex smirked and said, "I was born ready. Bring it!"

Ken did just that, charging towards the big blonde as if he were a freight train. The right jab came forward with speed and accuracy, and yet it was caught with Alex's left hand as he shifted into defensive posture. The attacks did not stop there as Ken threw out another jab in succession, then a third… but no, he pulled the third back in mid-flight and came at him with a left hook.

Alex grimaced as he blocked the incoming attack, coming at Ken with a hook of his own. Both attacks were stopped cold as both men demonstrated that they knew how to keep their hands high. Immediately after his attack was stopped however, Alex swung in with a low roundhouse kick from the right.

The satisfying sound of bone meeting flesh was heard as Ken gritted his teeth. That one hit a sweet spot, and his left leg buckled slightly. Alex came in with a left elbow as the kick connected, and that made contact as well, ramming right into Ken's jaw. As the man in red staggered backwards, Alex continued applying pressure, surging forward with a chop that was powerful enough to make his opponent turn his back.

'Damn it,' Ken thought to himself as the pain surged through him, 'He's a beast!'

And it wasn't halfway over yet. Ken suddenly felt himself being grabbed around his midsection, even as his head swam dangerously. "This is it," Alex said with a wild grin. "It's time to go for a ride!"

With that, he executed a German Suplex, ramming Ken's shoulders and upper back into the hardwood floor, making his spine rattle and his nerves complain something fierce. Alex demonstrated his flexibility by standing right back up again, taking a few steps backwards in order to give Ken some space. "Hope that didn't hurt too much, buddy…"

Okay, that almost knocked him out. One more of those and Ken knew it would be over. This time it took him a bit longer to stand up, but he managed to reply to what Alex had said. "Oh don't worry; I got a lot more in me than you think." Ken stood again and settled into a fighting stance, but not before Alex was already on top of him, cracking open that same elbow from before that had knocked him skyward.

It wouldn't happen this time.

Ken parried the incoming elbow strike, immediately countering with a Hadouken. Alex was knocked backwards from the ki attack ramming into his upper chest, and it gave Ken enough time to throw a mid-level roundhouse kick with his right leg, right into the floating ribs. This time, it was Alex's turn to wince in pain. Something would no doubt be bruised from that one.

Once again, it was nowhere near over. Ken approached Alex at high speed, not wanting to leave this opening unused. Putting him in a Thai clinch, the Ansatsuken fighter began to ram his left knee into his opponent's solar plexus and short ribs time and time again, making the man's body protest in pain. Four times the knee slammed home before a final kick sent Alex flying, breathless and with a lot more bruises than just the first kick had given him.

And even as he headed towards the ground, Ken was not finished with him. He leapt upwards right after Alex, poised to land right on top of him as his back hit the floor. Alex opened his eyes just in time to see Ken right over him, and immediately placed his arms over his face to stop the punch that he knew was coming. Even as his heavily muscled back hit the ground, he had already gotten into defensive posture.

Ken was ready for this as well, and as soon as they hit the ground, he switched to side control and immediately gave Alex even more knees to his right side, which was already in bad shape. He had a choice now: try and get Ken off of him and continue the fight with a ruined right side, give in and stop his ribs from being broken, or improvise.

He picked the third one.

Alex attempted to roll over backwards, since side control was not exactly the best place to be, and he started it with ramming the point of his left elbow towards Ken's temple. The Ansatsuken fighter was caught in the middle of a knee strike, and as his brain rattled in its cage, Alex successfully turned the tides, rolling back over his right shoulder and taking Ken with him.

It was Ken's turn to start eating knees, and he didn't like it at all. 'Should've seen that one,' he brooded to himself as Alex assailed him with one knee after another. The bigger man, of course, hit much harder with his legs, and Ken could feel a few of his ribs strain to the breaking point. A few more and this fight was done…

This was why he immediately escaped from the position he was in, breaking his grip and rolling to his right. The two of them were now sufficiently in pain, but stood up anyway, each taking their respective fighting stances. Alex was no longer grinning, but grimacing. 'Shit… that was nuts. If I hadn't reversed him when I did, I'd have more than just a few bruises.'

Ken was thinking the same thing as Alex. 'He's _really_ improved… I'm getting kicked around like a soccer ball. If it weren't for that one opening I made, this guy would break my face.'

The one thought that echoed through both of their minds at that one moment was clear.

'I have to finish this… _now_.'

* * *

**Round 31: **_**Sean's Day Off**_

WHOA. Now that's a way to start an arc.

Okay, I promise this one won't go on for any more than five chapters. You guys want Sakura; it's what you came here for. I just figured I'd give her a break for a while; focus more on Sean and introduce Alex at the same time. I figured this would be a good way to do that. Here's hoping you like the fight so far; it's going to be ending in the next chapter.

Anyways, sorry this is taking so long. I've had a bunch of projects come up.

On that note, Gouken is in Street Fighter 4. And oddly enough, I have Sakura doing his one-handed Hadouken. Strangely, I wrote all that in before the character was even announced, so that is an eerie coincidence. It's happened once before, too… but I digress. That game is shaping up to be made of win. I can't wait to play it!

So then, here's hoping this one gives up a lot of reviews. Please comment if you can.

_All bets are off; anything can happen now!_


	32. Getting Acquainted

A five foot, eleven and a half inch tall blond man with quite an impressive frame was being treated for minor and moderate injuries to multiple parts of his body. Eliza Masters had to do this often these days. People got bruised and battered all the time in a fight, even if it were a friendly one. Of course, most of the time it ended her husband not having a scratch on him.

This time however, it was different.

'Ugh,' Ken thought as he sat there next to the man who had given him several of his own knocks, 'That is one tough bastard. He really does deserve to be the champion of the World Warrior tournament.'

The guy looked over at him and said, "Well, do you believe me now? I told you it wouldn't be so easy this time. But man," he added with a grimace, "Those kicks of yours really hurt! I'm surprised nothing's broken…" He hissed in pain as Eliza touched one of his tender spots.

"Broken, no," she said with concern, "But certainly heavily bruised. It's gonna take a while for this to get back to any kind of normalcy." Eliza looked towards Ken and said, "I told you that you would run into someone like Ryu sooner or later; someone you would really have to hurt in order to stop."

Ken scratched the back of his head and said, "Yeah, well I guess you've had your point proven to you."

She chuckled and said, "I just wish it didn't have to happen like _that_. You'd think that you would listen to me, after how right I've been in the past! But you just have to take all these risks, don't you?"

Ken sighed as he prepared for a lecture from his wife. To distract himself, he remembered just how things had turned out in the end…

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

The two warriors stared each other down, breathing heavily and in their respective stances. Both bodies were covered in more bruises than one could count, and yet they were still standing, still prepared to do battle. Still, both men respected the other's power, seeing as they had both almost been delivered a sound defeat with one blow, and on more than one occasion.

It had been one hour since they had started their fight, and neither had been able to get the upper hand on the other. The whole notion of ending the fight in one maneuver was blasted away with the realization that neither one would be incapacitated so easily. All the two men thought of at the moment, if they thought at all, was that the fight had been going on for too long. Someone should have gained an advantage by now.

But any thought other than that was out the window as they charged towards each other again like a pair of freight trains on a collision course with each other. They were about to meet in the middle with their fists extended towards the other's face, when the bigger of the two suddenly performed a quarter turn to the right, making the red-clad fighter miss his mark.

'Shit! He's so fast for a guy his…'

He didn't get to finish that as the shirtless fighter grabbed onto the back of his head with one hand and pulled forward. Within the next split second, one forehead met the other in quite painful fashion, several times, making the man in red see spots before his eyes. And it was nowhere near over yet as the big guy sunk in a clinch, elbows tight around the sides of his head.

Incoming knee and it was a hard one. Ken had all the air knocked out of him as he got rocked with the attack, which was followed by another to the stomach. He attempted to get off one of his own, but Alex craftily dragged him to the right before the knee was finished being delivered. A sharp elbow rammed into the right side of Ken's head just before he was shoved backwards.

There was no real time to respond to the next attack, a front thrust kick. It would be more than enough to just duck underneath it, but Ken was still reeling from that assault. Thus, he was kicked backwards for several feet, as if his opponent, Alex, were kicking in an all-too-fragile wooden door.

'This is starting to piss me off,' Ken said to himself as he noticed Alex charging in again. This had to end sometime. As soon as Alex set himself, Ken forced himself to move out of the way. He had eaten that shoulder charge before, and he didn't necessarily want to eat it again. Fortunately for him, this time he did not, and Alex launched upwards with nothing to hit.

Alex's eyes widened as he found himself wide open. The only thought he could get out before he got rammed into was, 'Oh, crap…'

"_**Shoryureppa**_**!**" Ken shouted as he tore into Alex with a pair of shoryuken that left him smoking… but that was only the half of it. As Alex came back down again, he was visited by what happens when someone like Ken gets desperate. Another shoryuken hit him just before he landed, and amazingly enough, Ken started to deliver multiple kicks to his already battered opponent, starting from his position in mid-air.

When Alex said that Ken's kicks hurt, this was exactly what he meant. And by now, it was too late to stop what was coming next as the sixth kick rammed home. Ken leaned into his final attack, which wasn't a kick at all, but a nice, big, burning upward spiral of ki that trailed from a raised fist.

"_**Shinryuken!**_"

That was it. Alex couldn't take any more punishment. As he fell from his incredible height, his mind finally gave out. 'That's it… I can already feel myself shutting down.' He mentally chuckled to himself and said, 'He's just too strong… just like Ryu. I can't hope to match them, not yet.'

Alex was lucky he didn't meet the hardwood floor head-first; that really would have been the end of him. It was why he was still intact, even though he was severely beaten up.

"I gotta hand it to you," Ken said as they rested from the injuries they had given each other, "You really have gotten better. I still won, though."

Alex smirked and said, "Don't rub it in too much; I already hurt enough without any more damage to my pride." His eyes narrowed and said, "And don't get too comfortable. I'll be coming for you again after more training."

Ken scratched the back of his head and said, "You certainly are persistent. Just don't expect too much difference from this time. I'm not exactly that easy to beat, as you know by now."

Alex grinned and said, "That's what makes it so interesting!"

* * *

The next morning found Sean getting ready to get out of the house again, carrying with him a gym bag full of a change of clothing and some gear that Ken had let him borrow, including the gear that he always had with him. Of course, Ken noticed him walking downstairs with all this and said, "Well how about that. Guess the outside's gotten to him. He sure is leaving early, though…"

Eliza was up early as well, but not by choice. Ken woke her up with all that moving around that he was doing. "Well good for him, but not good for our sleep schedule, apparently. Isn't this a little early for you as well?"

Ken continued looking at the screen before him and said without looking behind him, "Noise woke me up; I had to see what it was." He leaned back into his chair and said, "Since the kid brought my car back in one piece, he apparently knows how to drive. I'll let him borrow it again this time."

Eliza chuckled and said, "Did he forget to bring the keys back to you, assuming that he would just take your ride again?"

Ken grimaced and said, "Yeah, he did. I swear he slept with the keys on his desk or under his pillow or something like that. I'll have to warn him against doing that next time he comes back. For now though, since being out of this place is doing some good for him, I'll let it pass." Ken's grimace softened into a smile and said, "My question is, what or who exactly has you getting up so early to get out of the house?"

Eliza smiled and said, "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's good for a guy his age." She pulled on Ken's right ear and said, "Get yourself some more sleep and quit worrying about him. I swear you worry about him as much as you do Mel these days."

He looked behind him as he got up from his seat. "Well that's because the guy might break something while I got my back turned. He's just got too much energy and too little patience, that's all…"

Of course by the time he headed for bed again, Sean was headed out of the house and towards downtown Los Angeles. There was someone he was supposed to meet at a gym, and he figured it would be better to be early than late. Besides, he didn't want to have her at his master's fight studio, now did he? That would lead to questions that he didn't want to answer.

'Only thing I have to do,' he said to himself as he parked the car in front of the gym, 'Is just meet up with her, teach her the basics, and I'm good. She doesn't need to know what my master is teaching me, and as long as I don't go overboard, nothing awkward is gonna happen.'

By going overboard of course, he meant doing what he usually did and getting overly excited. The goal here was not to show any of the moves he had developed during his time with Ken and simply to teach her standard self-defense moves and a few standard chokes. If she proved to be skilled, maybe she could find a professional to teach her. He wasn't one of those just yet; Sean had a long way to go.

Or at least, he thought so.

But never mind about all that; he had gotten there early, as planned. This meant that he had some time to change, plan out what he was going to teach, warm up a bit, and maybe spar with a few people here and there. He only had an hour to get ready though, because that was how far ahead of her he was. Sean would have to assume that she knew absolutely nothing and start from the basics, which would be fair enough.

And then he remembered something that made him smack himself on the forehead as he changed in the locker room. "She wanted to learn another language, too? Geez, this isn't going to end well if she asks for a new word while I'm teaching her how to throw a punch or something crazy like that."

Naturally, one worry led to another. He was nowhere near qualified to teach anything; he hadn't taken any exams in teaching or anything like that, or whatever it was that one needed to take in order to be a professional instructor. What if someone spotted him teaching her and called him on it? Would someone pick a fight with him just to prove they were more qualified? He didn't want to start any trouble…

So caught up in his thoughts, Sean didn't even notice himself walking out of the locker room. Then again, he was already dressed in his trademark yellow uniform, so it wasn't all that bad. White hand wraps and black gloves completed the look, but he didn't look so eager to get started anymore. But of course, with his head down in thought like it was, he naturally bumped into someone.

"Nice to see you too, cute boy," he heard after he had accidentally walked right into the path of the one person he was going to be teaching today. "I didn't know you were that eager to see me again."

Sean looked up and saw the radiant face of Linda, with the dark hair and beach tan as always. This time though she had a light blue tank top and a pair of black warm-ups on her legs. Her figure was considerably distracting, as Sean discovered when he couldn't stop staring at her.

"See something you like?" Linda asked with a chuckle.

Sean finally managed to look at her face and stammer, "W-what? Oh, yeah, yeah. Um, nice outfit you're wearing. You came prepared, huh?"

Linda shrugged, "Everything besides the gloves and whatever else I'll need." She chuckled and added, "I don't even know what equipment I'll need besides the gloves anyway. I trust you can help me out with that, though."

Sean of course, had to clear his head. Wow, she looked stunning in her workout clothes, but he couldn't exactly be distracted by that. This was serious business! "R-right, let's go ahead and get you some stuff to work out with!" Well it was going to be harder than he thought it would be, but he would try to manage. So with his own money, he bought some bag gloves for her from the gym's shop, as well as a mouth piece. He scratched the back of his head and said, "Heck, those are the basics…" He then began listing off what else she would need, half because it kept him from thinking about how cute she was and half because she needed to know.

And of course, they got right into the swing of things. The jab was of course, the first thing she learned. It was the same in just about every martial art, really. After a while with both the left and right sides, in which Sean found out she was a leftie, it was time to drill that punch over and over again for a minute. Naturally, this was how both his grandfather and Ken himself had trained him, so he was only doing what came natural to him.

The hardest part of this was, of course, coordinating one's body. There was a proper way to throw every move, and it would take some doing to do it. Still, she had the jab and the cross down before it was over, and a few kicks as well. Two hours well-spent, as far as Sean was concerned, though he would have to ask Linda how her first time in the gym went. At the very least, he didn't get too far ahead of himself this time.

"So when do we get to sparring?" She asked as they were wrapping up.

Sean scratched the back of his head and said, "Not for a while yet. At this level, you can't really defend yourself properly enough to spar with much of anyone. I'd say you'll be ready in a few months." He laughed. "Then again, it all depends on how much ability you have and how hard you work at it on your own time."

She smirked and said, "So you're giving me homework already, are you?"

Sean shrugged and said, "Well it isn't really a requirement; you can always head to the gym and practice. But if you want to, you can. Just make sure to do it somewhere that has a lot of open space and has the least amount of fragile or breakable things." Just in case she did want to practice at home, of course.

Linda nodded and said, "I got a lot of room outside in my folks' backyard. I could practice there. Speaking of practice, you wanna teach me a few words now?"

Sean almost smacked himself on the back of the head. That's right, he had almost forgotten about that. Then again, he counted himself lucky that she really, truly hadn't asked for a Japanese lesson in the middle of her gym time. It would have turned into a bad day if she had. "Don't you at least want to take a break first? I mean, you just got done wearing yourself out."

Linda raised an eyebrow. "Who said I was worn out? That was only the basics, right?"

Well it was the basics for _two whole hours_; she should have at least been a little tired. Sean blinked in slight confusion and said, "I suppose I'll have to push you harder next time. Okay, I'll teach you a few words." And with that, he started teaching her Japanese. Yes, on the spot, just like that, as they were driving around from place to place.

It was a sure sign of Sean being bored to death, but at least Linda was giving him her undivided attention. She was a surprisingly astute student, and picked things up rather easily. He had to ask Linda if this was really her first time learning any kind of new language, to which she answered, "Yeah, it is. Why, am I really that good after all?"

He laughed. "Yeah, pretty good for your first time. But don't think that it doesn't mean you don't need practice."

Linda nodded. "I know that. Nothing's learned in a single day." She then grinned and said, "Wanna hang out on the court for a while? I bet the others are already there."

Sean knew which one she was talking about, and grinned. "I'm always up for a good game!" It seemed that he wasn't tired out either, which was fine with him. It'd take a lot more than all this to make him quit, after all. While it might not have been the same routine as the last time he had seen everyone (the team he was on lost a few times before finally getting organized), it was still refreshing to be out of the house.

Thinking about that made him want to thank Ken for letting him leave the compound once in a while, but it also made him remember with a slight cringe that he hadn't given the keys to the car back to his sensei the first time. He'd catch some heat for that when he got back, but he figured he'd take care of it when the time came. Hopefully he wouldn't be yelled at too much.

"You look like there's something on your mind, cute boy." He was lifted from his thoughts by Linda's voice, which sounded amused as always. It seemed that she liked using that name for him instead of just 'Sean', so he didn't bug her about it, however irritated he was. "Just things going on back at home. It's nothing to worry about, really." At least, he hoped not.

She chuckled and said, "Well then why are you looking so serious? It doesn't suit you. Besides, we've got the rest of the day ahead of us; that's time better spent having fun than brooding, now isn't it?"

'If only you knew my situation, you'd think differently,' he thought to himself as they headed back to the court. Of course, this would be the last game before Sean had to head out. He knew he would have to face the music sooner or later, and he might as well do it sooner rather than later. Besides, it might not be all that bad.

* * *

Things continued to look up when he got back, seeing as it was quiet when he returned. And when he got to his room, there was no one lying in wait. He figured that Ken was somewhere else in the house, or might have even been out. In either event, he was glad that he didn't have to get toasted just yet. But still, he had to do what he had to do.

Heading towards his sensei's bedroom, the one place in the house that he hadn't really been to (out of respect); he quietly opened the door and checked to see if there was anyone in there. While it appeared empty, he couldn't take any chances. Clearing his throat softly, he said, "I'm home," and then waited a few seconds. Of course, once all that time passed and he didn't get a response, Sean headed inside and quietly placed the car keys onto the desk in Ken's office, then began heading out again.

Oddly enough, he didn't meet any resistance heading out of the master bedroom either, which made him breathe a sigh of relief. Of course, that was when things went wrong, in a way.

"Didn't know Ken had rooms to rent around here."

The voice immediately behind him made Sean jump and let out a startled cry. Turning around to see who had successfully snuck up on him, his eyes widened as he got a look at a man that was much taller than him and wore a white short-sleeved shirt. The guy seemed to be nothing but muscle, though his blue eyes showed that he wasn't really a threat unless you tried to hit him.

"You scared the hell out of me," Sean said after he had significantly lowered his heart rate. "Who are you, anyways?"

He grinned and said, "You mean you don't recognize me?" Then he scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Then again, you didn't make it that far into the quarterfinals did you?" The grin turned into a normal smile as he introduced himself. "The name's Alex. I'm the guy that won the tournament that you got beat up in."

Sean sighed and hung his head. "You don't have to remind me of that, you know." Then he looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Hold on, that means Ken told you about me…" He looked behind the big man, down the stairs; there was no one, not yet. "Um… you got any idea where he is?"

Alex shook his head. "No, but the fact that you're looking for him with that look on your face means you're expecting trouble. As for what he told me about you, all he said was that you were his student."

Sean sighed in relief. So then, at least nothing bad had been said of him. But then that might mean that this man wasn't telling him everything… The young warrior shook the traitorous thought from his mind and bowed politely. "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'd talk more, but it's late, and I have to get to bed." Before Ken found him and chewed him out, of course.

Alex waved goodbye as Sean headed towards bed again and began heading back towards the fight studio. It was there that Ken was busy with Mel, helping him practice his moves. The hand targets were being hit with just a bit more accuracy every day, and it made his father proud of him. Alex walked through the doors just in time to see Eliza walking out.

"Oh, sorry; almost ran into you there," she apologized with a smile. "Hey, is Sean back home?"

Alex nodded. "Kid seemed frazzled for some reason, though. I have no clue why. He said he was headed for bed."

Eliza nodded and said, "Well then, I'm glad he's back safely." She looked over her right shoulder and said, "Thought I doubt that'll be the case with Ken when he finds out his student is back." Before he could ask why that was, Eliza turned towards him and said, "I'd tell you why, but it's something between the two of them. Don't worry about it."

Alex raised an eyebrow, wondering how she knew what he was thinking, but shrugged a moment later and said, "Fine by me," before he walked further into the studio. "Guess that means I shouldn't tell him quite yet."

With that, Sean had a peaceful night's sleep… for now, at least. Tomorrow would be a much different day than the last two.

* * *

**Round 32 – **_**Getting Acquainted**_

Well there it is. Sure it's fewer than five thousand words this time, but I figure it'd be worth it to get it out to you guys. These little character development stories are what I like writing, no matter how seemingly boring they are in the long run. Of course, there's nothing like a little action to get things going, sure enough, and that will be coming in a few chapters.

In any event, since it took me a while to get this one out, I figure I owe you guys an explanation. It's simple: things have been getting lively in my life. I've been doing things that I've never done before and making all sorts of friends here and there, not to mention my work has taken a bit of an upswing, as one could say. I might write all this in my profile next time, but for now I'll write it here.

And now, I'm going to go do something constructive. That, or get some more rest. Pick your poison.

"_No one could have seen this coming!"_


	33. Busted

"**Good morning, little runt!**"

Sean opened his eyes; he couldn't see an inch in front of his face. What time was it?

"It's four in the morning, time to get moving!"

Not cool. He scrambled out of bed, stumbled towards the light switch. An impatient knock on the door; this was definitely not cool! Turn on the lights, open the door. "Um… Good morning, sensei!" He must look like a total clown right now. Hell, he sounded like one.

Ken sported one of those devious grins of his. "Vacation time is over. Get dressed and head towards the studio in five minutes or less. I'm going to get you acquainted with some pain."

Yeah, he was so busted. "I'll get on that right away!" Sean bowed. Damn, this was a bad way to start the day! The door closed, and Sean walked over towards the closet. Damn it, that made things worse! "Should've changed before bed…" He sighed. Not like that would have mattered. He withdrew his uniform from the depths of the beast, taking the weighted pants and vest with him. Hell, he might as well take the rest of his gear; this was going to be a long, long day.

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

**_

* * *

_**

Sean felt the impact from his right fist travel towards his shoulder. Not a bad punch, really. He hit the heavy bag again, left, then right again. This was nothing special; he did this back home in Brazil. Right roundhouse kick with the shin. If this was all that Ken was going to do to him, it wouldn't be so tough after all.

"Blitz drill, one minute. Go!"

He growled. Not one of these again! Sean pulverized the damn thing, fists flying and digging in. He was lucky he'd wrapped up and put those gloves on before this! Thirty seconds left; left, right, left-left-right, jab, cross, hook. Keep moving. Sean threw a right hand…

"Okay, time!"

…And stopped it half an inch from impact.

"One minute of rest, then we're getting back into it again. Got it?"

Sean nodded. "All right, sensei." Oh God, another one? This was punishment for yesterday; it had to be. He looked to his right and saw the big guy – Alex was his name – posted up on a wall near the kicking shields. Why was he just staring? Was he just weird like that or something?

Sean shook his head. No time for that; he needed the rest.

How was Linda doing? Was she practicing what he showed her, or did she think it was all a joke? Nah, that wasn't possible. She certainly was into it at the gym yesterday. There was probably no chance he'd see her again today though, because if this kept up for much longer he wouldn't be able to make it.

"Ten seconds," Ken said from behind. "Get ready!"

Sean stood up and shook his arms out. No pain, no gain. Besides, maybe if he did well enough, he'd be able to at least call her.

"Second round; get into stance."

Sean settled into the standard defensive shell stance and waited, his fists tightening. Okay, time to get this over with. He took a deep breath; exhaled.

"Ready… **go**!"

Sean's right fist snapped into the bag. Pop, pop; two more jabs. Jab, jab, left straight. Sidestep to the right, body hook, again. Damn, that felt good. One-two-three and right kick. Jab, left straight, right hook. Circle around, look for an opening. Right left and a right kick, then the left leg. Right kick, left, right, left. Guard up, stay tight; don't let the hands drop.

His uniform was beginning to dampen. Feint the right, hit low with the left, and then throw the right elbow. Again, again, make him snack on it. Back away, start circling again. Right front kick, incoming bag, and boom; left straight, dead center. Again, again, cave his face in. Back away, start circling. Move in and jab, slip, cross, hook to the body.

"Thirty seconds; pour it on!"

Sean lay into the bag with everything he had. No more kicks, no more heavy shots, just hit and hit and hit and…

"And, stop!"

The chains rattled as the left fist rammed home; oh, that was a damn good sound. Sean backed away from the bag. "Good," Ken called out from behind him, "One minute rest."

"Whose ass were you kicking, kid?"

Sean looked to his right, at Alex. "No one," he said between shallow breaths. "I was just into it."

The big blond guy grinned. "Well I can see that. I get like that sometimes too, but mostly when I'm fighting someone in my head; not just for the hell of it." He looked towards Ken. "Hey, got a suggestion for you."

Ken raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

Sean's face twisted into a grimace. This'd be messy.

"Third round, without the bag," Alex said with a smile, "Against me."

He hated being right. "Um, I don't think that's such a good…"

Ken nodded. "You got it. He needs a live spar anyways. Just don't hurt him too bad, all right? I still want him conscious, breathing, and able to move without too much trouble."

Sean felt the pit of his stomach fall out. Okay, what the hell? This was not what he had signed up for! It'd be like punching a truck; like throwing his fists at a brick wall. He stared at Ken, and then stared at the hulk. He was so going to get his ass kicked.

"What's the matter, kid? You wanna catch flies or something?"

Sean's jaw snapped closed. Okay, fine. If this was the way it was going to go down, fine. He sighed, a feeling of resignation washing over him, and bowed. "I accept." He just hoped that he wouldn't get knocked out in the first thirty seconds!

The stop watch beeped. "Okay, stances. Make it a clean fight… well, relatively clean, anyways."

_Relatively_ clean? He had to be joking, right? This had to be some kind of sick mind game. Sean settled into his stance. Oh, this was gonna hurt, bad. Sean gritted his teeth, determination flooding him. Hell with it.

"And _fight_!"

Alex charged in like a bat out of hell, arms and legs pumping. Holy shit; he was fast! Sean rolled to his right, stepped in and threw out a left front kick to the floating ribs. Alex caved in as the kick landed home; Sean closed the distance and rammed his left fist into Alex's liver.

His attack met spring steel.

"Not that easy, is it kid?"

Oh, crap. He got caught in a Thai clinch and felt his insides twist from the right knee strike. The left knee followed, slamming into the floating ribs. Another right knee- he shoved his forearms down to block it. Crap that stung! He stepped forward and rammed his left shoulder into Alex's body, breaking the clinch.

Another step forward; and now both fists were slammed into Alex's guts as Sean shot upwards. His body twisted as he jumped, which resulted in the left fist, the right, and the left again drilling into the big guy's ribs. Alex fell to the ground with a grunt. Hell yeah, that was more like it!

Sean charged just after Alex came down and mounted him, knees tight against the ribs. Left, right, left again, make him give in. Oh damn, he caught a punch; not good! He was jerked downwards, rolled over. Alex wore this crazy ass grin. Well crap…

He covered his face, felt the sting of a fist coming down on his forearms. Just keep defending, think of a way out… whoa, fist! He caught it, got his hips under the monster, and tried to bridge his way out. Got him; time to-

WHOOSH. He defied gravity for a while before his back hit the hardwood floor. Alex was coming down on him like a sack of bricks; Sean rolled to his left and felt the earthquake. That was some freakish leg strength he had! He rolled backwards again, stood up and got into stance.

"Not bad, kid. You got what it takes."

Not bad? He'd just survived an assault from a _tank_. That had to count for more than not bad. "I'm just getting warmed up!" He peeled off towards Alex, snapped a right jab towards the chin. Parried; he threw out the left. Parried again; throw out the right. Alex reacted; Sean pulled the attack with his shoulder and threw out a right roundhouse just above his left knee. Yes, that got him! Alex gritted his teeth as he tilted to his right. It was time to go to town!

"_**Tornado!**_" He twisted through the air, both legs trying to hit a home run. The big guy couldn't stop everything! One, two, three, four hits before his energy tapered out. But man, did that feel good! Alex looked rocked by that one, too. He was so pumped up now; this was gonna be it!

He brought his hands together, channeled his ki. His palms heated up, the energy surging through them. Sean grinned. "Sorry, buddy." He pushed off of his right foot, felt his body coil up, and rammed both of those burning hands forward! "_**Hadou Burst!**_"

The ki blast came at Alex like a fastball and hit him right where it hurt. He'd never seen someone so huge fly so far after an attack! He clenched his right fist and pumped it into the air. "I got him! Did you see that, sensei!? I put him down!"

Alex got up, his teeth set in pain. "Damn, now I remember why I don't like those. You're good, kid."

Sean got into stance again. "I hope that's not all you got."

The big guy smiled. "Look at you, all high and mighty. Okay then, let's see if you can keep up with my full strength!"

Sean was in some serious hurt by the time it was over. Man, when he said full strength, he wasn't joking. But at least it wasn't so bad anymore. He felt like he actually had a chance at winning if he fought him again. He looked towards Ken. "Can I go call Linda now, Sensei? I have to tell her I couldn't make it."

Ken raised an eyebrow. "And who's that?"

Sean grinned. "She's my new friend!" Bet he didn't know that he'd made one, huh? Oh, wait… that grin did not look good.

"Sean, you are one sly bastard. You're hooking up with a girl?"

His heart climbed into his throat. Geez, why'd he have to go and say that? "N-no, it's not like that! We're just friends who hang out at the court together! There are a bunch of guys from around town and…"

Ken patted Sean's right shoulder. "Hey now, you don't have to explain. I know what's going on."

No he didn't. This'd be a long day for sure. "Can I just go call her, please?" And then crawl into a corner to die?

Ken nodded. "Yeah, sure; just do it quick. We still have a lot of work to do."

He bolted from the training hall. Yes, freedom! Finally, the torture would stop, if only for a bit. He was very grateful to have Linda right now… as a friend. Crap it, Ken was starting to get to him!

* * *

"So that's how it is. Sorry about not being able to show up, Linda."

"Nah, it's okay sensei. I needed to practice what you taught me anyways."

Sean scratched the back of his head. Did she really have to call him that? "It's Sean, okay? And you're gonna have to show me how much you've improved next time."

"Does that mean we get to spar, then?"

He shook his head. "No way; you don't know enough defenses for that yet. It's gonna take a while before we actually do some contact. Don't be so hasty." Yeah, like him.

"Okay, if you say so Sean. Are you gonna come out to the court this weekend? We got a game set up."

Sean grinned. Hell yes! Then again, Ken probably wasn't done with him yet. "I will if I can; I'm probably gonna have a few things to do, though. I'll call you if I can head over there."

"Okay, gotcha. Shoot, mom's bugging me. I gotta go."

Sean nodded. "Okay, talk to you later." He hung up and sighed. Well that break was over. Time to go back to his personal hell, but before that, he had to try and make peace with sensei. He trudged back to the training hall and approached Ken. "I'm sorry for taking the car without asking." He bowed. "I won't do it again."

Ken nodded without looking over his shoulder. "It's okay. You need to be more careful, though. I was kinda annoyed when I didn't find the keys on my desk."

Cue sweat drop here. "Um, I kinda took them with me when I went to sleep. Sorry!"

Ken chuckled. "Like I said, it's okay."

"So, uh… are you gonna let up on me?"

Ken laughed and looked back at him. "Not a chance. I said the vacation was over, and I meant it. Put your weights on; time to get back to it."

Sean groaned. He knew he was going to say that. "Okay, sensei."

He'd never get a break. Back to work, and this time Alex was there to hold the kicking shield for him. Well at least he'd be able to tell whether his kicks actually went into the pad; the guy had a solid stance.

"All right, low leg roundhouse right, one minute. And, go!"

Sean's right leg rammed two inches into the shield that Alex held at the outside of his right thigh. That one was nice; he could feel it through his hip. He kicked again, set the foot down for a second, and kicked again. Ken gave the signal to switch; he did so and kicked out with his left leg. Front kick, side blade, side thrust, knees, elbows.

Then there was impact training, like hitting an iron plate with his hands, no gloves. That crap always stung, but he did it anyway. Grip strength, wrist strength, bone strength. Oh God, bone strength! His forearms and shins stung like nothing else after Ken beat on them with that thick stick of his. He knew it was all for his own good, but he felt sore in more places than he knew were possible at the end.

After that, he had to frog jump with those damn weighted shorts on. Hell, he hurt after only about ten of those, and Ken made him do fifteen. Fifteen! He could barely move his legs for a _whole two minutes_ after those, and then he had to do two more sets!

The sound of a pair of hands smacking against each other echoed around the training hall. "Good work! You get a water break."

Sean sighed, already wasted. How much more of this did he have to go through before the day was over? You'd think that someone would have shown a bit of restraint by now, but no. He just kept on hammering him! He trudged over to the water fountain. It was nowhere near over yet, but at least he could refuel.

Sean heard that echo again. "Okay, break time's over! Let's go; hustle!"

Okay, what the hell? That was only like, fifteen seconds! He jogged over towards Ken and stood at the ready. What now!?

"Sit down."

Well that was just… wait, what? "…Sensei?"

Ken frowned. "Sit."

Sean sat, folded his legs. What was this all about?

Ken took a knee in front of him. "I'm gonna tell you," the blond began, "Why exactly I am making you do this."

Wow, this was sudden. Why the explanation now of all times? He hadn't given one before. Sean remained silent, waiting for the rest of it.

"A friend of mine told me that something was about to go down; something major."

Sean's eyes widened. "Was it Ryu?"

Ken nodded. "Yeah, it was. He said that it was important enough for me to actually start training you seriously. Didn't tell me what it was, though. He's like a brother to me, and so I couldn't really say no." The blond looked up at him, his blue eyes intense. "He's training someone as well; a girl from Japan."

Sean raised an eyebrow. Ryu actually trained other people? This didn't sound like the guy that had kicked his ass some time ago. What had changed?

"I've seen her fight, twice. The only thing I can say about her is that she could very well beat anyone that's on a 'normal' level." Ken shook his head. "No, that's not exactly right. She can definitely, _absolutely_, beat anyone that's an ordinary fighter."

Sean tried to swallow around the lump in his throat. "She sounds scary."

Ken chuckled. "She's also somewhat hyperactive, extremely polite, and one of the nicest girls you'll ever meet. But don't let that fool you; she'll serve you your tea for breakfast and smash your face in for dessert." He got hit with that blue-eyed gaze again. "She's coming this way. I can't say when, but she'll show up sooner or later."

Sean's eyes widened. Well shit, that wasn't good at all! "Is she gonna try and fight me?"

Ken nodded. "If she can sense any kind of ability in you, yes she will. I don't even know if she can do that yet, but I suspect she's close." He stood up. "So what I am doing is simple; I am getting you tough enough to at least put up a decent fight, to defend yourself properly without getting completely run over. And in the short time we've got, it's not going to be easy. Hell, I don't even know if we'll be able to finish before they get here."

Sean's fists tightened. It really was that important, huh? He stood, dusted off his pants, and nodded. "Then I shouldn't have sat down. We got work to do." He had another brick wall coming towards him; Ken was trying to help him smash through it. Well, when they were done, that's exactly what he'd do.

Whoever this lady was, she'd better get herself ready for a hell of a show.

* * *

Sean humped it back upstairs, completely blown out. It'd only gotten harder as the day went on, but he had stuck it out. Halfway up the stairs, he lifted his head and saw Alex, wearing this old-looking leather bomber jacket and with a duffel bag hanging from that melon he called one of his shoulders. "You're leaving?"

Alex nodded. "I gotta get moving. There's a lot I need to do and I can't stay here. Better if I head out now. I'd rather not say any goodbyes; I wouldn't want to leave if I did."

Sean smiled. "Yeah, I get you." No attachments, huh? Well, whatever. "Where are you headed?"

Alex shrugged. "Don't know; haven't really thought about it. Somewhere off-shore, I guess. I need to think about what happened earlier."

Sean blinked. Okay, this was weird. "What exactly happened earlier?"

Alex removed the hand that was on the banister. "Ken and I sparred earlier while you were out. I gave him a good run, but I got my ass handed to me in the end." He sighed. "I'm not strong enough yet."

Sean couldn't say anything. Hell, they were both in the same boat. The only thing he could really do was watch as the big blond beast walked the rest of the way after a nod. When he passed him though, Sean heard something that made a fire flare up inside him.

"Get stronger, kid. As long as there's life in me, we'll fight again."

Sean looked behind his right shoulder and watched as Alex opened the front door and vanished from sight. His mouth finally decided to work after the door closed.

"Thanks, Alex. I'll get stronger."

* * *

**Chapter 33: **_**Wake-up Call**_

Phew. There's nothing like a good day's work on a story. But really, as you guys know, it was a good few days' hard work. Anyways, it's done and over with, and the package is delivered. I tried to make it less than five thousand words and ended up doing just that. Sorry for the shortness, but I've squeezed all that I could out of Sean for the moment.

Of course, now that that's over it's time to get back down to business. Next time, Sakura and Karin go to India! Sooner or later, they'll run into someone that can help them out, but not entirely with any sort of fisticuffs. Nah, that's all them for the moment. Still, you'll probably enjoy what's coming up, even if there are very few fights in it.

"_Whoa, this fighter isn't holding back!"_


	34. Pointless?

_I have been to the edge of the abyss once. I stared hard and long at it, trying to make sense of that which was not there. In all that pondering I did, I noticed that something was happening: I was falling into it. Do you know what it feels like to fall and yet still be standing? It's disorienting, frightening. You feel like something important is leaving and you'll never get it back again._

_What's even worse is that the emptiness, that void, stares back into you and looks at what is left behind when that sense of yourself is gone. And it finds nothing. At that point, I wanted to die._

-Excerpt from the diary of Karin Kanzuki

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Sakura was sitting with her legs folded in lotus posture, hands resting on her knees with the palms turned upward. Her eyes were closed, face locked in an expression of complete stillness. She was trying to clear her mind, return it to a state of emptiness. It was difficult, to say the least, because she was constantly thinking about when she would get to train again, when the next fight was. Who would it be with? What would they be like? When would they meet and where? How would it start?

A buzz of excitement began filling her. She was already fighting the fight in her mind with an opponent she didn't even know yet. A wide smile spread on her features and she opened her eyes, staring out at the ocean. She couldn't do it. It was almost impossible to stay still for this long! She turned her head and looked over toward Karin… who was still motionless.

Sakura's smile turned down. "How the heck can she do that?"

"She isn't."

Sakura craned her head around, looked towards the bald man with white eyes and strange markings. He didn't wear much, just torn saffron pants and a chain with three skulls on it. He was floating all of two feet in the air, legs folded as neatly as hers. "Well how can you tell?"

"I am reading her thought patterns. They are consistently moving, causing her to lose her focus. She hears me speaking and her mind is forming thoughts about what I am saying. In truth, she should not be able to hear me at all."

"Yes, of course I can hear you. And this is ridiculous." Sakura looked over at her, saw the blush on her cheeks and the frustration on her face. "Focus on nothing? How absurd. What is this nothing you're talking about?"

He smiled. "It is not all that difficult. You are simply making it difficult."

She growled. "Well either way, it's difficult, period." Karin stood, dusted the sand off of her pants. "I'm going back to the hotel. Sakura, you can stay if you want; just don't let him get to you." She stormed off, leaving her shoes there.

He did not turn to face her, simply remained in his position. "I can see that it is difficult for you as well."

Sakura's head lowered just a bit. "Every time I try, it just keeps on going back to…"

"…The fight?"

She nodded. "I can't stop thinking about it." She looked up at him again. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Yes. You are trying."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What're you getting at?"

He lowered himself to the ground, unfolded his legs and stood. "Do not force the process. Allow it to happen. The more you attempt to force something to happen, the more it will balk against you. You will not know when it will happen; no one does. But it will happen. So do not try to make it happen."

Sakura faced forward again, tilted her head to one side. "Stop trying, huh?"

It had been three days since they had arrived, and it was already looking like a hard road.

* * *

Agra, India.

Sakura's eyes widened, her heart raced at what she saw before her. She ran toward the building, all too eager to get a closer look. "Oh, _wow_! I never thought I'd get to see this for real!" She whipped her right hand into her bag and pulled out her camera. Kei would flip when she saw these pictures.

The white spires gleamed in the sunlight, making it seem ethereal in a sense. Its mirror image reflected off of the pool just before it, giving the appearance that there was another building just like it in an entirely different world. The marble dome at the top almost dominated the architecture, making it all the more impressive.

They'd skipped all the other buildings, all the other sights, just to come see this one.

Sakura snapped another picture, turned and grinned towards Ryu and Karin. "Look at it! It's _awesome_, don't you think?"

"I have to admit, it certainly is impressive." Karin walked up to Sakura, her eyes focused on the structure that towered before them. "I guess they call it a wonder of the world for a reason." She looked back at Ryu. "He doesn't seem interested, though… I'm not surprised, with the way things are for us."

Sakura huffed, placed her fists on her hips. "He really should be having fun. I mean, we haven't been followed yet, right? So we might as well enjoy things while we can, before things really start to pick up again." She glanced toward Karin. "Don't tell me you're getting all serious too." It'd really suck if the fun was spoiled by someone who wasn't even here.

The blonde shook her head, smiled. "Actually, I'm having fun. I never thought I'd be seeing the world just to see it and not chase after someone I was obsessed over." She glanced toward Sakura, raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you're still doing that?"

She shrugged. "I don't care. I'm getting what I've always wanted; for him to train me. I'll follow him anywhere as long as that end is met." Yeah. That's all that mattered.

Karin chuckled. "You know, you could always go the rest of the way alone, right now. Start learning things on your own. I'd be coming along of course, partly because you'd have no way to pay for it and partly because…"

Sakura's arms relaxed as she turned to face Karin, an eyebrow raised. "Because what?"

Karin's head bowed for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked towards Sakura after a while, her expression intense. "…Because I _need_ to follow you."

Sakura's head tilted to one side. Huh? What was she talking about? "I don't get it."

Her face softened, a smile spread along her lips. "I know. Maybe you'll understand someday."

Sakura shrugged. Oh, well. "If you say so." She looked toward Ryu again, noticed that he was staring off into the distance, away from the Taj Mahal. "Something finally caught your eye?"

Ryu looked toward her, shook his head. "Not really." He smiled. "Kinda loses its impact when you see it more than once. Let's go back to the capital. I think we've had enough for today."

Sakura pouted and whined. "Do we have to? I still wanna take more pictures!"

Ryu nodded. "Yeah, we have to. You guys still have to go through your routine."

Oh, yeah. They did, didn't they? Sakura nodded. "All right, let's get moving then." She began walking toward Ryu with Karin in tow, looking back at the impressive building once more. She grinned. This was so awesome!

* * *

Ryu stood at the entrance to their room, looking down the hallway. He fixed his eyes on the far wall, as if he were staring through it instead of at it. His skin tingled with awareness. Someone was here. Not in the building, but close by. Sakura and Karin were downstairs, at the gym. There really wasn't anywhere they could spar here, was there? He'd have to find somewhere suitable later.

He headed toward the elevators, pushed in the call button. Someone had followed them all the way from the Taj Mahal. He was sure of it. They were barely discernable, but he could feel whoever it was, as if they were calling to him loud and clear. The elevator dinged and he stepped inside, doors sliding closed behind him.

Okay. He'd find out who this was, why they were here and what they wanted. The other two didn't need to know about this unless it was important. Good thing he'd left a note saying that he'd be back. The elevator dinged again; bottom floor. He stepped out, headed towards the glass front doors and exited the hotel.

He looked to his right. Invisible threads of energy pulled him in that direction, and thus he walked. He passed the parking garage, turned right down the alley. Halfway to the end, he stopped. This guy's ki was massive. But where was _he_?

The sucking sound of air rushing in to fill a void echoed along the alley walls. Ryu stood completely still, analyzed the sudden gathering of energy. He nodded after a while. "I figured someone was following us. Just didn't expect it to be you."

"No one ever expects someone who can move at will."

Ryu turned to face him, smiled. "It's been a while since we last spoke, hasn't it? You always find a new way to amaze me. So then, why'd you come here? You usually don't leave your village unless there's something important."

The man nodded. "There is something important indeed."

Ryu's expression turned serious. Dhalsim. It was always something serious when he showed up. He hadn't forgotten about his abilities, one of which was the ability to read auras. Why hadn't he thought of coming to him instead of Chun-Li?

"It was not the time. She had a purpose at that point, and she will fulfill it soon."

Ryu's eyes widened. Damn. He had to watch what he thought around him, too. He shook his head and emptied his mind.

Dhalsim nodded. "Good."

Ryu's eyes opened, fixed on the floating yoga master. "What do you need to tell me?"

Dhalsim smiled. "It is nothing that you do not already know yourself. A violent energy is stirring. It seeks a new target to express itself upon. This target is full of potential and budding power, but is still undeveloped."

Ryu nodded. That's exactly what was going on at the moment. No surprise. Dhalsim's ability to sense ki was far beyond what he could achieve. He dared not speak.

Dhalsim continued. "You are seeking a way to hide this target in plain sight before the one who carries the evil power begins to move again. I sensed your arrival today and your need. Thus, I appear before you." He lowered himself from that two foot high pedestal of energy he sat upon. "It will be… painful for them both."

Ryu shrugged. Too bad. They'd have to bite the bullet. "I'm willing to accept that as long as they don't die in the process or end up being too injured to move."

Dhalsim shook his head. "You speak in terms of the physical. For this training, that is not the case. In a sense, they _must_ die in order to accomplish what you intend for them."

Ryu's eyes widened. Oh, hell. This was starting to sound like a bad idea. "Then maybe I should-"

Dhalsim walked over, put his right hand on Ryu's left shoulder. "You do not yet understand. This is natural for you; you still have much to learn, even as far down the path as you are."

Ryu felt himself relax once the hand was on his shoulder. Wow. All that anxiety just drained away by a touch. He nodded. "Then take care of them both. I'll be coming along; there really is a lot I need to learn." And this man was just the one to teach him.

"No, I am not the one to teach you." Dhalsim removed his hand, shook his head. "You must teach yourself. One day you will know the void, and the void will know you. On that day, any lessons that I would teach would be useless." He smiled. "But you may come along to refresh your mind."

Ryu took a few steps back, bowed. "Thank you for helping us."

"Do not thank me. It is something of the utmost importance for everyone, not just you. Bring them out when they are prepared to leave." He vanished on the spot.

Ryu jogged toward the hotel entrance again. Okay. This was good. This would work out fine. The part about them dying was a bit creepy still, but he trusted Dhalsim. He headed towards the elevators, up to their room. He opened the door and found them drinking water, wearing workout clothes. "Hey, get ready to go. Your teacher just ran into me outside."

Sakura grinned, her eyes wide. "Who is it this time?"

Ryu smiled. "You haven't heard of this one. But you'll like him." That or his mind reading would drive them up a wall.

* * *

Kerala, India. One day later.

"Kind of annoying, having to set up a new hotel."

Sakura shrugged, placing her suitcase in the closet. "I don't mind, really, as long as we get some training of some sort done." She couldn't help but wonder what kind of training they'd go through. Probably something intense. Good. She liked it rough.

Karin stretched out, falling to the bed that they said they'd be sleeping on. "Well before I get any training done, I need some sleep." She yawned. "I never thought just sitting down for hours would be so tiring."

Sakura lay next to her. She had a point there. "Well at least we've got time to check out the sights, right?" She grinned. "I hear they have a nice beach down at the coast."

"Glad you mentioned that."

They both sat up, looking towards the door. Ryu. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt, that big white travel bag over one shoulder, hiking boots on his feet. "We're headed out there now, if you're ready. Don't think of this as some vacation, though. This is important stuff."

Karin groaned. "Can't we at least get some rest first?"

Sakura smiled. "You know the saying. No rest for the wicked! She stood, stretched upwards. "Is he gonna be there? Our teacher, I mean."

Ryu nodded. "Yes he will. That's why we have to get moving. Come on, let's go." He started walking out.

Sakura crammed her right fist into the palm of her left hand. "You heard the man, let's go. I bet there's something good for us once we get there." Maybe the training itself would get them to wake up a bit. That'd be awesome.

Karin sighed, stood slowly. "I'm starting to wonder if that man has ever slept a day in his life." She trudged out the door behind Sakura, closing it behind them.

Within an hour's time, they reached the coast and Ryu led them to a secluded part of the beach. Sakura, in a pair of denim shorts that stopped halfway down her thighs and a light blue short-sleeved shirt took her shoes off and ran out to the shore line, a wild grin on her features. There was just something great about water. She didn't know what or why. The foam tickled her bare feet, made her giggle. "Come on out here, Karin! The water's great!"

Karin smiled, amused. "Thanks, no. I'm fine here." She was lying on a beach towel, a pair of sunglasses on her face and a pair of hip-hugging white capris that flared at the calves with light brown shirt that had its hem just a few inches above her navel adorning her frame. She was barefoot as well, her shoes sitting next to her towel.

"Okay, your loss!" Sakura began jogging along the shoreline, shadow boxing as she did so. She couldn't wait to meet this new teacher of theirs. What style did he use? Probably some kind of Indian martial art or something. She'd never seen the styles here before. It'd be great if she could watch him practice. Maybe she'd pick something up along the way.

She threw out two jabs with her right hand, followed with a left cross. She could feel herself just using a new move or two, something that'd help her improve her style. Jab, cross, hook. Maybe she'd even be able to beat Ryu again. She jumped into the air, threw a roundhouse kick before landing, bare feet splashing into the incoming foam.

She stopped, eyebrows rising. Whoa. What was all this pressure all of a sudden? Her skin tingled, the sparse hairs on the back of her neck rose. She could feel a powerful aura, so big it covered her from head to toe. She turned around to find out who this was… and saw someone standing right behind her.

His head was shaved, decorated with three red lines. He was built. Looked like a normal guy that worked out most of the time. Probably in his thirties, maybe forties. Looked younger, though. Wow. Check out those eyes. Creepy. She shivered, suddenly a bit nervous. She felt his eyes bore through her, penetrate deep. Sakura couldn't look at him for more than two minutes; she turned her head down, looked at him from the corner of her left eye. Who was this guy?

He smiled, closed his eyes and bowed. "Namaste."

Sakura blinked for a moment. Huh? What exactly did that mean? She'd heard it before, but she couldn't quite place the meaning of it. She shrugged and, finally able to look toward him, copied his movements, hands together at her heart and a bow of the head, shoulders rolling forward. "Namaste." Hey. That felt kinda nice. She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Who're you?"

He looked at her with those blank eyes again, made her lower her head again. Quit doing that. "My name is Dhalsim. And to answer your question, Namaste means that I bow to the deity within you."

She raised an eyebrow. He didn't just do what she thought he did, did he? "I didn't even ask."

He smiled again, nodded. "I know."

Her eyes widened. Holy crap. He'd just read her mind! She looked up at him, gave him her full attention. Cool. "Can you… teach me how to do that?"

Dhalsim shook his head. "It cannot be taught by any teacher. One must teach themselves how through experience." He began walking away. "Please, come with me. I have something I must share with you."

Sakura followed, checked the rest of him out. Those pants of his were raggedy, a saffron color. There were a lot of iron rings on him too- mostly around his arms. The one around his neck, she'd noticed earlier, had three skulls on it. Weird.

"Those skulls represent three children that died; each in a different manner. I wear them to honor their memory."

Sakura nodded. Oh. That actually made sense. Hey, wait a minute. "You just read my mind again, didn't you? Stop that. It's creepy."

He chuckled. "The only way I can stop reading your mind is if there is nothing there to read. I will teach you how to quiet your mind, and when I can no longer look into your thoughts, when your mind becomes as clear and impenetrable as diamond, then you will be free of my intrusions."

She raised an eyebrow. "So you're our teacher, then?" She smiled. "Then it's nice to meet you. My name's…"

"…Sakura." Dhalsim looked behind him. "Your friend's name is Karin. I knew you were coming before you even got on the plane east of here. I have been tracking you since the man with the violent energy began seeking you, knowing that he would attempt to sway you sooner or later."

Sakura's head bowed, eyes looking away. "Wow… you did all that without leaving here?"

He nodded, turned to face forward again. "Do not lose hope. He will not have you if you remain diligent. I will do what I can to help, but know that it will be difficult. You will do things that you have never truly considered before. It will be a challenge from within instead of from without."

Sakura grinned. "Sweet. I love a good challenge. Throw it at me and I'll do my best."

"It is not me who will do the throwing."

They returned to Karin's resting area, and by the time they'd gotten back, Ryu was there as well. Karin lifted her sunglasses over her eyebrows and stood. "I can see you found someone to talk to. Who's your new friend?"

Sakura grinned. "He's our teacher for as long as we're staying here!" And he was totally awesome so far! Kei would so freak when she heard about this.

Karin raised an eyebrow. "This is him?" She looked over at Ryu. "Do you know this one too?"

Ryu nodded. "Yeah. I met him twice. It's been some time now since we saw each other. Dhalsim is a yoga master who can do amazing things with his body, and he says it's all from training his mind. Don't ask him to show you, though. He's a pacifist."

"So what can we learn from him?" Karin looked toward Sakura again… and her eyes widened. "Where did he…?"

"I can teach you much if you would focus your mind."

Karin jumped, looked behind her. "What the hell? He was at the shore just a second ago!"

Sakura jogged up to them, eyes nearly popping out of her head. "Oh my God, that was so awesome! He just zipped himself from over there to over here!" This was gonna be so much fun.

Ryu chuckled. "Glad you like him already. Karin, this is your teacher for the next few days, weeks, or however long he sees fit. Try to take things with an open mind."

Karin nodded, but wasn't able to look at Ryu. "I understand."

Dhalsim smiled. "We begin now. Everyone, please sit."

* * *

Second day in Kerala, the hotel room.

Karin slammed the door behind her, eyebrows knotted in fury. This was completely insane. Was it even meditation at all, or was he simply mocking them? Damn it. They should have gone over to Thailand; at least there they would get some practical fighting experience. She shoved open the bathroom door, twisted the knob for the cold water, threw her hands underneath and splashed her face.

Sakura was probably still out there, having a good time in the water or something. Or was she sitting down on that towel, still trying to figure all this out? Whatever. Karin splashed the water again, turned the faucet off. "I don't care."

She looked at herself in the mirror, at her expression of frustration and anger. Two hours. She'd been at that for two hours and there he was, reading her mind like a goddamn open book. How was she supposed to still her mind when he kept on looking in there? Putting a leash on her thoughts? Preposterous! There were too many of them and they were all over the place!

Her breathing quickened, her heart rate picked up its pace. She needed something to smash.

The door opened again, made her wince. "Go away."

"But you forgot your shoes. They have sand all in 'em now."

Karin cringed. Oh, hell. "Thank you for that information, Sakura. I'd have done well without it." She sighed. Nice. She was getting angry at someone she wasn't supposed to. She turned around, tried to calm herself. "Thank you for bringing me my shoes."

Sakura grinned, that sunny, carefree grin that usually made Karin smile as well. This time it failed. "No problem."

She took her shoes, grimaced. Lucky she'd brought another pair with her. "Did you have any luck with meditating?"

"Not really. I couldn't get my mind off of the next time I'd fight. I did hear something interesting, though."

Karin looked up at Sakura, raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?" This should be interesting.

Sakura smiled. "I was trying too hard. Matter of fact, I shouldn't be trying to do anything."

Karin sighed. More of that. "Well that's all well and good, but I'd rather see something concrete instead of hearing all this." She shook her head. "Why did Ryu bring us here again?"

Sakura placed her hand on her chin. "I think it was to learn how to mask our ki. Don't know what yoga has to do with it, or meditation. I mean, I can meditate just fine, really. All I have to do is focus on my breathing and let everything else pass by." She giggled. "I kinda feel a buzz when I'm really into it, you know?"

Karin nodded. She could relate to that. "_That's_ what meditation is supposed to be, concentration on one single point, one thought or one action. It's just not possible to focus on nothing."

The brunette placed a hand on her chin for a moment. "I don't know… I think it is."

Karin's eyes widened. What? "You can't be serious."

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I think I am. Just hear me out." She began pacing the room. "What happens when people like you and me in a get into a fight? I mean, what really happens?"

Karin's face settled, curiosity overtaking shock. Wow. She really was thinking about this. "You feel like your opponent is moving too slow. You feel like you can go on forever while they tire out. There's no fear, no anger. You lose your sense of self, your sense of time. Everything else fades away and there's only…"

"…The fight." Sakura nodded. "Right, so what if you could do that, but with your thoughts?"

Karin shook her head. "That's nonsense. What is there to lose oneself in?"

Sakura snapped her fingers, turned to face Karin with wide eyes. "That's the question, isn't it? What is it that we can get so involved in that everything else tunes out, even our own thoughts?" She continued pacing again. "I don't think he was talking about nothing, not in that sense. We've gotta find what he was talking about."

Karin started to say something, paused. This… was strange. Sakura was starting to make sense of it. It had been three days since they'd arrived, two spent on the beach, and where she had been stuck, Sakura began to comprehend it, if only slightly. "You may have a point. But how do we look?"

Sakura grinned. "We meditate! Only we don't focus on the breathing or a single thought, but focus on something else. Something that I don't really have a name for yet, but it's something!"

Karin chuckled. It was absolutely silly. It was also worth a shot. "Something we can't name, but is there all the same. Sounds foolish, but it's better than nothing. How do you want to start?"

Sakura bowed her head slightly, eyebrows knotting. "I have no idea. But let's just try meditating for now."

Karin smirked. "Right now?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, right now. Think of it as more training."

Karin shrugged. Might as well do it. "Fine with me."

They sat on the bed, their hips rested on the pillows and legs folded into lotus posture. Knees pressed to the mattress, hands on the knees. They straightened up, closed their eyes… and breathed.

Karin inflated like a balloon, her entire body responding to the intake of air, as it should. She exhaled, deflated. Sakura breathed deep, just seconds behind her. She didn't try to catch up, just breathed normally and deeply.

One minute passed.

Karin could hear Sakura's breathing still, but it was closer to her own now. It was strange, wasn't it? Every time they did this, their rhythms eventually matched, until she couldn't hear the difference between Sakura and herself.

She refocused, breathed deeply. Thirty more seconds slid by.

In, out. In again, out again. Up, down. They were in sync. Karin's face stilled, a serene expression washing over her features. The anger and frustration drained out of her with every exhale. Her body finally relaxed. She lost herself in the simple act of breathing. Her mind was entirely still, silent. Combined, Sakura and Karin made the distinct sound of waves breaking on the shore, like the waves out on the beach.

Time slowed… and then froze entirely.

Neither of them heard the door open, or close. But Sakura was the first to speak anyway. "Hi, Ryu-sensei." Her voice was even, calm. Not emotionless, but not ecstatic either.

"You two look like you're into it."

Karin breathed in the smell of hot food. Her eyes opened, blinked. Whoa. Was that dinner? She looked at the clock. "Oh, wow… we were at it for that long?"

Ryu nodded. "Did you guys learn anything from Dhalsim today?"

Karin opened her mouth to say no, and then stopped. Had they really learned nothing? Sakura had just showed her something vital, whether she knew it or not. That breathing was the first step. What he was teaching them was probably the second. Or was it? She shook her head. "I don't know. But it is turning out to be more interesting than I first thought it would be."

Ryu nodded. "Don't knock it until you try it." He opened the bag, pulled out two take-out boxes. "Come on, let's eat. We got a long day tomorrow."

* * *

**Round 34: **_**Pointless?**_

Well guys, here we are at the next story arc. I figured Dhalsim would be a good teacher for this one because one's state of mind and their energy is a big part of martial arts, especially in this story. I know he's not in Street Fighter 3, but he is still theoretically alive by then. So I thought, why not put him in? Let me know if this chapter is satisfactory.

On a further note, I'm already working on Chapter 35! Busy night for me, this one. Anyways, review please. Bai.

_Who will come out on top?_


	35. Awakening the Senses

_There's more to just simple energy than one would think at first. There are all kinds of factors that influence it. Sure it might come from outside, but it's going through different stages as it passes through one's body. Sometimes it gets blocked, stopped up on a different level than just one's vital points. And these blocks have to be cleared, or else you can't use your energy properly at all._

_Or worse… if you __are__ able to use it, it gets tainted. There's nothing worse than that in my book._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

It had been two days since they started their mental workouts. That was the term that Sakura had put to these meditation sessions. They were distracted time and again, their thoughts trying to keep hold on them for just a bit longer. They tried to relax, attempted to let go of the thoughts and let them pass, return to their breathing. It was far more difficult here though, because the Yoga teacher continued to infiltrate their minds, see if he could read them, and say something out loud when he could.

It was frustrating. It was embarrassing at times. But it was working.

After two days of this, their minds began to tire of the struggle. Minutes passed without a thought instead of seconds. They held their attention for five minutes at a time, then six, then eight, then ten. After five days since their arrival in Kerala, they were up to fifteen minutes.

It was in the midst of the fifth day, during their second stretch of meditation, when Dhalsim called a halt with a clap of his hands. "Well done. You have gained some control over your minds. Now we truly begin."

Sakura opened her eyes, exhaled slowly. She felt amazing. It was really hard to do this when someone was prodding around in your head. This really was a fight, but of a different sort. Apparently, they'd done enough for him, but she knew it wasn't.

"So, what do you have to teach us today?"

Karin. She sounded so much more willing to do this now. Pride welled up from deep within. She really was gonna make it. Sakura couldn't hide her grin. She looked toward Dhalsim, eyes alert and receptive. Here goes nothing.

"I am going to teach you about the centers of your energy, where it flows and where it can be slowed down and blocked. But first, what have you been told about energy?"

Sakura spoke first. Ryu had already told her about this. "Everything is energy. If a thing or person runs out of energy, it's as good as dead. It can be drawn in, pushed out, given or taken."

Dhalsim smiled. "You know much about it, then." He looked toward Karin. "And you?"

Karin nodded. "There are a lot of names for energy; ki, chi, spirit, life force, and a bunch of other things. But it's just energy, nothing else. Everyone uses it whether they know it or not, but only a few are really aware of what it can do."

He kept his blank eyes locked on her. "And you have come here believing you are not. Yes?"

Her head lowered, eyes looked away. She rubbed her right arm with her left hand. "I know what it's capable of… I can feel it even now, and use it. But I can't _sense_ it in _others_. Sakura can, but just a little. I don't think I can at all."

Dhalsim nodded. "We will come back to that later." He turned toward Sakura. "You however, wish to expand this awareness."

She nodded. It wasn't so bad when he read their thoughts like this. Sure made conversations a lot easier. "It's not just that, though. I'm here… we're both here, really… to learn how to hide our energy patterns. You already know there's someone after us; someone who's bad news. He can sniff our auras out from anywhere he wants. We have to hide them from him."

"True, he does have the ability to find and hone in on auras." Without moving anything but his knees, Dhalsim folded his legs into lotus position, simply sitting in mid-air. "By manipulating your aura so that it is less noticeable, you can fool his senses and become as if you did not exist." He looked toward Sakura. "I want you to focus your senses on me. Watch carefully."

Sakura nodded and stared at him, her mind clearing and her senses expanding outward. There, she could feel it, the tingle across her skin. Whoa. He was just so powerful, but she could feel something else about it as well. His energy was entirely harmless.

"Good. Now observe."

The sensation along her skin faded slowly… and then vanished. Her eyes widened. "Whoa, I can't sense you even from here. I mean I can _see_ you, but I can't _feel_ you."

Karin grimaced. "That was how he was able to sneak behind me. I bet he'd be able to get the jump on me even if I _could_ sense him.

Dhalsim nodded. "There is a way to counter this, but I cannot teach you. It is something that you will learn sooner or later."

They nodded. Sakura definitely wanted to learn this one. It'd help her get her freedom of movement back. "So how do we start?"

* * *

The day wore on, and soon it was found out why Karin couldn't sense anything. Her anxieties were blocking one of her energy centers. The very thought that she couldn't sense anything blocked her third eye. She didn't even know she had one until Dhalsim pointed out where it was, right between her eyebrows.

"Meditate and focus your mind on that one point. Allow your thoughts to pass and flow as you channel your energy toward it."

Karin shrugged. "I'll give it a try." Wasn't like she had much else to go off of. At least he had an explanation. She closed her eyes, straightened her back and lengthened her spine. She drew air, exhaled slowly.

This wouldn't work. Why did she need to sense anything anyway? She wanted to be different from Sakura, not copy her in any way. Besides, it was silly to measure someone on how strong they were just at first impression. That would be determined in actual combat.

She breathed, allowed the thoughts to pass by.

It wasn't like she had even tried before. Why start now? She would just mess up anyway.

She breathed. Her body relaxed on its own. Warmth spread through her, gentle and unobtrusive. So that was what her energy felt like, was it? She hadn't really considered it. Karin let it be for now, breathed.

"Now, will your energy toward your third eye. Do not force it."

Karin did not respond, simply continued breathing. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she concentrated. It only increased the intensity of her inner heat. Damn. She concentrated harder, her eyebrows frowned and her face scrunched slightly. It was just sitting there in her center, not moving at all. Her head was starting to hurt. She sighed, released the flow and opened her eyes. "What's it going to take?"

She felt a hand on her right shoulder, looked up. Dhalsim had an understanding smile on his face.

"The will is not located in the conscious mind. You are still trying to use your thoughts to drive the energy. Retain your clarity of mind and allow the subconscious to move the energy."

She huffed. "I thought I was already doing that."

Dhalsim chuckled. "Are you?" He walked away.

She bowed her head slightly. She was, wasn't she? It wasn't like she wasn't trying hard. What was he talking about? Her eyebrows rose high, eyes wide. Don't try… hadn't Sakura said that? Not to try at all? She smacked herself on the forehead. Don't resist. Don't try to fight for it or against it. Another thought popped up. Use her imagination. Would that work here too?

She clenched her fists. Yes, it would. She closed her eyes, straightened her back and set herself. She breathed deep. He'd already told them where the chakras were, and she could see them now in her head: where they were located, what they did. She saw the energy move toward her head, just between her eyebrows.

Her skin tingled slightly. Whoa. What was that? She shook her head, settled down and breathed again. The picture in her head returned and she focused on it, saw her energy channeling towards that one single point. The tingle returned, sharper now. It made her jump, her eyes suddenly opened. "Whoa!"

This was strange. The air vibrated with tension. Was this what Sakura felt when she could sense someone who was truly strong? Was this why she always wanted to fight them? She looked over at the brunette, eyes alert. She could understand now.

"How is it?"

She turned to her right, toward Dhalsim. "It's strange. It's like there are these waves in the air. I could feel them, just for a moment, but they were there and they were particularly strong at the time. I don't know who was giving them off, but whoever it was is something else."

He nodded. "You are on the path. Now all you need to do is expand your awareness, reach out with it. This is how one is able to sense and locate auras. After all, that's all they are: waves of energy."

Karin raised an eyebrow. "And this can be done at any distance?"

Dhalsim nodded. "It was how I was able to track your progress toward this location. I know who you have been with, what you've done, and who is following you." He smiled. "Of course, you have already been told who is following you."

Karin nodded. Of course. They were reminded of it almost every day, whenever they trained. "We have to move on."

Dhalsim raised his hands. "It is not yet time. You will leave when the need becomes apparent."

Karin shook her head. "The faster we get this done, the more prepared we'll be when he catches up." Oh, he'd catch up. And the last thing they wanted when that happened was for him to know _exactly_ where they were.

Dhalsim nodded. "True. But it cannot be rushed. You must learn how to sense energy patterns in order to learn how to hide your own. Have patience and faith that it will arrive when you need it."

Karin lowered her head. "I'll try." She closed her eyes, sighed and meditated again. They couldn't just sit around waiting. But maybe he had a point. They probably didn't have much choice but to wait anyway; this stuff couldn't be learned in a day.

Karin breathed, relaxed. She tried to visualize herself expanding, stretching out. But how would one do that? It wasn't like she could just reach out and…

The tingle on her skin rose again, spiked. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Something was wrong. That was too big a wave. Was it him? She opened her eyes, looked around the beach. Empty. She looked over toward Sakura. She was still meditating, her face relaxed. What was that she'd just felt?

She sighed. It wasn't just anything. Someone strong was nearby. She didn't know who had that much power, but she didn't want to fight them. She wasn't ready. Karin closed her eyes, slipped into her meditative state again. It happened faster this time as the resistance of her thoughts gave way.

She relaxed, tried to think of herself reaching outwards. With what? What was there to reach out with? Could she really do this? Karin breathed, let the thoughts go on their way and continued expanding. Things started to feel a bit fuzzy, out of focus. She breathed, started feeling weightless. Karin stretched herself further. She could feel the rough sand beneath her, the ocean behind her, the sky above.

Her skin prickled. Sakura. She sat far to her left, still in deep meditation. The waves that came off of her friend made Karin open her eyes and look over at her. "Wow. That was you?"

She shook her head. "No. Not even you're that strong."

She closed her eyes again, stretched out her senses. This time she really let them loose, and everything from that single instance happened all at once. She gasped, breathing sharp and fast; eyes snapped open, wide and frightened. She wasn't in her body any more, was she? She was everywhere, all over the place. Why was she still breathing? Still sitting here on the sand? Karin shivered, closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt empty.

"So you've felt it."

She looked towards Dhalsim, face awash with despair. "I'm not in my body. Why?"

He walked over to her, sat down before her. "The walls of your mind have given way. That's why. You stretched your awareness so far and fast in that one moment that your mind lost its hold on you entirely. How do you feel?"

She shook her head, closed her eyes. What was this? She was everywhere, and she was still sitting there at the same time. "Feels like my soul just left my body."

Dhalsim placed a hand on her head and smiled. "You are doing well. You can still hear me and see me, feel the sand and the wind. You can still smell the ocean. You are still alive. The only thing that has changed is that your awareness has stretched outwards to a great degree. Doing it slowly at first was wise; you still felt like part of yourself was in your body, correct?"

Karin opened her eyes to look at him, nodded. "That's right. I felt like a part of me was still sitting here. Everything felt a little fuzzy, but I was okay."

He stood. "This is natural. You are simply opening yourself more to the world." He turned to walk away. "Keep practicing, no matter what. Do not let this stop you."

Karin watched him leave, another shiver racing along her skin. It felt like she'd just died. Could she really do it again without the thought going through her mind? She shook her head. No, she couldn't. Karin willed herself to stay seated. No. It was not going to end like this. She would keep going. She closed her eyes, breathed; stretched outwards with her senses.

It was slow this time, cautious. She was still here, still sitting down, still breathing. His words were helping to a great degree… wait, was that why he'd said them? She couldn't hold back her smile. This man was extremely intelligent!

Her face calmed as she allowed her brain to take a rest. Her senses slowly stretched out, reached toward Sakura. There, still to her left, a good thirty meters away. She read her aura, saw it in her mind. As expected, she was quite strong. She stretched toward Dhalsim, found him… and her eyes opened.

"…It's you." She looked toward him as he floated a few feet off the ground as usual; his eyes closed and face serene. "_You're_ the one I felt earlier."

And then, everything made sense. Damn. She'd underestimated Ryu again, hadn't she? He'd said that he could do amazing things through the power of his mind. Karin nodded. He was right on the mark. Dhalsim's aura was _huge_. She was surprised that Gouki hadn't come here already…

She smirked. "You're sneaky, Ryu." He was also a pacifist. Gouki probably knew that and wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole, much less get near him. Thus by extension, he wouldn't get near _them_ either. Just by being around the Yoga master, they were safe. Sure it wouldn't last long, but it would give them the time they needed to learn what they had to.

Karin nodded, a decision made. She wouldn't question anything this man said from now on.

* * *

"That was incredible. I didn't know I could actually do that!"

Sakura grinned. Karin was really on a roll! "I can't believe your focus; you caught up so much today!" She grinned. "We're gonna have such fun with this, I know it!"

Karin nodded, closed the room door behind them. "Not to mention that it'll help us track Gouki a bit easier." She stopped for a moment, shook her head. "But he can mask his ki when he moves around, all while being able to still track ours. That won't work."

Sakura shrugged. "So we're just gonna have to counter with hiding our own. Nothing to it." She sat down on the bed, stretched upwards. They'd worked their butts off today, and she really felt stronger. "I could feel you as you were reading me, you know. It was freaky."

Karin chuckled. "Did it feel like you had eyes looking on you from somewhere?"

Sakura nodded. Karin was really starting to get into this. Good. "Yeah, it did." She glanced at her. "You wanna try it now? It's good practice." Besides, she wanted to try and see if she could find Ryu somewhere. Easy enough. She could tell what his aura felt like by now and how big it was.

Karin shrugged. "I don't mind."

They both sat on the bed, hips resting on the pillows. This'd be fun, if it worked. Legs folded, eyes closed, hands turned upwards and resting on the knees. There wasn't any breathing beforehand this time, though it was involved. They simply extended their senses, stretched them to the corners of the room, pushed past the door and into the hallway.

It was still disorienting when she did this. Everything felt swimmy and out of focus. But she could sense Karin right next to her, could see outside the hallway even though she was sitting right there on the bed. She stretched further, tried to extend herself toward the elevator, made it there. She stopped at that point and waited.

The elevators opened, and… ah, there was Ryu. He was on his way, heading up the hall from the elevators. He turned the corner, passed three rooms, just in front of theirs now. Sakura grinned. This should be a surprise for him.

He fished the card key out of his right pocket and was about to swipe it…

"_It's dinnertime_!" Sakura shouted through the door. Ryu jumped and she laughed. It worked!

Karin looked over at Sakura, pouted. "That was kinda mean, you know."

Sakura opened her eyes, turned toward Karin with a grin. "It was fun, though. I actually saw him coming!"

Karin shook her head. "I saw him too, but you could have just said hello."

The door opened. "Well, you've certainly gotten better at that." Ryu walked over, set the paper bag onto the table near the TV. "And yeah, it is dinner time."

They got off the bed and walked towards the bag. Sakura reached inside, pulled out something with her name on it. Awww. That was nice of him, to get something just for her. "So my question is can you do this with your eyes still open? I mean, the past few times it happened, I had my eyes closed."

Karin shrugged. "Logic dictates that if it's possible one way, it's possible in any way." She pulled out her food. "But I wouldn't know how to do it."

"Well all you'd have to do is do what you were taught, but without being distracted by what your eyes were seeing." Ryu started eating. "At least, that's how I do it anyway."

One of Sakura's eyebrows rose. Well that was confusing as hell. "You got any examples?" She took a bite out of her food, eyes widened. "Wow, this is good."

Ryu placed a hand on his chin, as if in thought. "Well, even though it works best with your eyes closed, you might want to consider just feeling things as they are. Don't put any good or bad to them, just observe. Then you don't have to be bothered by what you see or hear."

Karin looked toward Ryu, an eyebrow raised. "And your master taught you this?"

Ryu nodded, took another bite of his food. "Yeah, he did."

Sakura smiled. Well then. That was all there was to it, wasn't it? "Then it makes sense. We could always try that now."

Karin shook her head. "Food first, training later. I'm hungry."

* * *

_Dear Kei-_

_It's been a while since I sent you my last letter. I sure hope you guys haven't forgotten about me, because I haven't forgotten about you! Are you and Akio all right over there? How are the other two stooges doing? I sure hope they haven't gotten themselves into trouble._

_Anyways, we're here in India this time. And you will not believe what the first thing we saw was! I'm excited just from remembering the whole thing. Explaining it would take a whole different e-mail, so I'm just going to send you pictures instead. You are so gonna freak out at this._

_So our teacher this time is a guy named Dhalsim. He's really powerful, but he's a pacifist. That's cool with me; I don't want to hurt anyone either. To be honest, I just play around when I fight; I don't compete with anyone. For the past few days or so we've been learning all kinda of ways to calm our minds and still our thoughts. You should see Karin; she's really improving these days!_

_Ryu doesn't seem to be doing any teaching this time, he's leaving it all in Dhalsim's hands. I figure that's a good idea in itself; this guy knows a lot. Then again, so does Ryu, and a lot of people that have lived longer than I have. I think everyone's got the potential to learn as much as I am right now; they just need to get out and do it._

_I sure hope you're not lonely over there without me! That'd be a real shame. I'd be tempted to come back and comfort you, and I don't want to go back home just yet. Things are really getting interesting! Oh, and about Gouki… it doesn't look like he's followed us here. I don't know why, but it sure gives us time to learn what we need to. Don't worry; by the time this is over, we'll be a lot safer as we move along._

_Tell Akio I said hi! Hope your studies are going okay!_

_Your best friend,_

_Kasugano Sakura_

_

* * *

_

**Round 35: _Awakening the Senses_**

All right, that's it for this chapter. Nice and short, as the rest of 'em are. I'm trying to provide some reasonable and realistic improvement with every chapter, and I definitely hope it's working. I was working on this chapter originally as part of BA 34, but it felt out of place. Thus, here you have it. Munch on it for a bit and tell me what you think.

_Namaste._


	36. Seeing the Spirit

_What is power?_

_I heard someone ask that once. How do you get it? How do you keep it? Can you hold onto it at all? I have no answers, no certainties, but what I do know is that I don't know. I can only make guesses and assumptions, and that's all. One of my guesses is that power is not influence or control, but change. It's the possibility and the potential to change one's environment and not control it._

_My theory is that if one is an agent of change, then they have power. Those that try to control things or force action are not powerful, but only seeking a false image of it. But once again, I don't really know. I'm only speculating._

_The reason I thought of this theory was from traveling the world and meeting these people that seemed to so effortlessly change a person's mood, life, and way of thinking. But if that change is harmful, does not do anything to better someone? Then it is a negative change and must be righted, if at all possible._

-Excerpt from the diary of Karin Kanzuki

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

**_Beyond Alpha_**

**_

* * *

_**

A total of seven days had passed since their arrival in India, and six days since they had come to Kerala. The training continued, uninterrupted by any outside factors. Sometimes, improvement was gradual and slow, other times it came in leaps and bounds. But today, on this sixth day on the white sand beaches of Kerala, they weren't even at the beach.

Sakura and Karin were in the hotel room, opting to do their training there. They sat with their legs folded on one of the king-sized beds in the room. Eyes relaxed, almost sleepy. Their bodies hung at the edge of wakefulness. Minds cleared of thought, intention, or any kind of plans. Breathing was slow, deep, and almost physically imperceptible.

They both slipped into as close to a comatose state as one could get without being forced there.

Ryu sat before them, the back of his chair facing the two students. He'd already told Dhalsim that they were trying something new and to let him guide them through it. Well. He certainly hoped he could.

He waited for some kind of realization or change, felt for any kind of sensation that let him know they were improving. "Stay relaxed. You're doing fine. Don't force things to happen, just let it take its course. Let your mind do what it does without getting caught up in it." He saw Karin blink. Yeah. It was hard stuff.

She growled in frustration. "This is not working."

Ryu shook his head. "You don't know that. Just keep at it, trust that it'll come in time." They had to do that or else it was pointless.

Karin sighed. "I've been doing that, and nothing's been going on." She looked over toward Sakura. "I can't believe she's still doing this. I'm sure she knows that nothing's happening yet, right?"

Ryu shrugged. "Maybe she's doing it just to do it."

Karin rolled her eyes. "She's being silly, then." She shook her head, looked back over at him. "Are you positive this is how your master taught you? It seems a tad excessive. I'd rather have my eyes closed; far less distractions that way."

Ryu nodded. That was the point. "You said it yourself; if it's possible one way, it's possible in any way. Now, keep going."

She shrugged, let her eyes lose focus and her face settle into a blank expression again. Ryu checked her breathing. Good. He couldn't see her moving. He looked over at Sakura. She was still at it. It'd been an hour now. Had she even heard them talking? Probably not.

He leaned forward in the chair, set his forearms on the back of the seat. Gouki hadn't shown up. As expected. He'd keep his distance from Dhalsim for as long as he could; he didn't bother with people who didn't want to fight. Sooner or later though, he'd have to face him, just to keep him off of Sakura and Karin. Ryu wondered how Chun-Li was doing on that distraction. She had to have recovered by now.

He felt the air shifting, eyes snapped toward Karin. Was she doing it? She was still motionless, relaxed. But he could feel the air around her vibrating, slowly stretching itself out. He nodded. There it goes. He didn't say anything, only observed. He felt another shift and looked to his left. Sakura was starting to get there as well. Good.

He finally spoke, his tone even, soothing. "Let go of your conscious mind altogether and trust in your subconscious to do the work. Pretend that you're blind; your eyes are open but you still can't see."

Thirty seconds passed. The air around the two students pushed further outward. Ryu nodded. "Good. Keep going." They were getting the hang of it. Soon they wouldn't have to close their eyes at all. Still a better method, though. Five more seconds went by, the air pressed outward further as they expanded their fields of perception. Ryu smiled. "Okay, break time."

They sighed. Sakura lifted her right hand to her forehead. "Wow, this really _is_ a workout. I'm sweating up a storm here. Didn't know just doing this was so hard to do."

Karin looked toward Sakura and nodded. "It certainly is difficult at first." She turned her head toward him. "I sure hope you don't have to be sitting down to do this. It'd be a waste if that were true."

Ryu shook his head, chuckled. She was good at getting to the point, finding a practical use for things. "Sooner or later you'll be able to sense ki from any distance without having to go into any sort of meditation. All you're doing is entering the other part of your mind and letting it run things."

The blonde smiled. "Well that's good to know. Now that we've been doing it for a few days, it seems easy."

Ryu smirked. "Well, try saying that when you're in a fight. You'll be too busy to notice what you're doing. That's why you have to train every skill you are taught, constantly. When the time comes to use them, you won't have time to think about doing anything. Actions have to happen so fast that thoughts don't have room."

Karin tilted her head down, closed her eyes as if she were thinking on what he'd said. "So how does one use this in a fight without things slowing down? What if you have to use it immediately, without hesitation?"

Ryu nodded. "Not too many people ask that question. Good. The way you use it is to not have to turn it on at all. This is the kind of thing you use at any time, in any situation. It'll help you avoid unnecessary battles and let you know when you have to fight." He smiled. "It'll also let you know how a person is feeling at any given time, if you can get that far. Some people can see the color of an aura and can tell what's going on from that."

Sakura looked toward him, tilted her head to the right. "Can you do that?"

Ryu shook his head. "No, I can't. I'm still learning things too, you know." Then again, he was always learning. In fact, he was learning right now, about them. Karin was more intellectual, reasoning things out. Sakura didn't rely so much on logic as she did her spirit. They balanced each other out. How interesting. Did they even notice this?

Sakura shrugged. "Guess you're right. It's no fun if you know everything, right?" She yawned. "So anyways, we should probably practice using this stuff in a spar or something, just to get the hang of it. I figure if we're gonna be using it, might as well use it for what it's intended."

Ryu raised an eyebrow. Whoa. She was jumping the gun a bit. "That's not too good of an idea right now. You're still new at it. Yeah, it can be used to predict an opponent's moves and find out which ones are fakes, but if you use it without proper training it could end up badly."

Sakura peered towards him. "How bad could it get?"

Ryu shook his head. "If someone finds out you're trying to read their moves, they'll try and find a way around whatever you're doing. You have to make it so that you can use these senses all the time, not just in a fight."

Sakura scratched the back of her head. "Okay, I got you. I'll practice on it."

Ryu nodded. "Good. Okay, break's over. Get back to it."

* * *

The rest of the morning wound on without Dhalsim ever coming to check on them. But Ryu did not mind in the least. He trusted that everything would work out. Tired of being inside, Sakura and Karin decided to train something other than their minds. He had to agree with that; they hadn't sparred in a while.

He stood between the two of them; each dressed in their practice uniforms and wearing their hand wraps for the first time in months. He hadn't really considered using the beach they were training with Dhalsim on to fight, but now that he'd thought of it, it was a good idea. Tough to keep one's footing on sand, so they'd have to work a bit harder to launch their strikes with power. They'd have to fight the cold water, the wind as well. Perfect.

"Keep it clean as usual. I'm looking for three knock downs. No head shots. No trips or throws." It's always good to change the conditions. Made one think about what they were doing. "Any move that you've learned is accepted, but no incapacitating strikes. I'd rather you both come out of this _safe_." Yeah. The way these two fought sometimes, he had to put that in.

"Okay, Ryu-sensei."

"I understand."

They didn't even look at him, just stared intently at each other. Ryu sighed and folded his arms. They were already fighting their fight. He took a few steps back, raised his right hand. "Take stances."

He watched Sakura as she took her position, frowned. Did she always have to use the same stance that he did? It was too predictable. Karin developed her own personal stance, and that sometimes confused people. Well. He'd have to help her make her own later. He looked between the two of them, watched them settle their weight. Okay. Time to go. His right hand dropped. "Begin!"

Karin wasted no time, immediately going on the offensive. That was another thing about her stance: it allowed her to move with rapidity. Ryu nodded. Better to strike first than to get hit first. She rammed her left foot toward Sakura's right leg in a front kick. Sakura sprung to her right and the kick whiffed. She countered with a fast right jab to the ribs and a thrust of her left palm. A surge of bright blue energy rammed into Karin's shoulder.

Karin slid backwards, carried by the force of Sakura's Hadouken. Her bare feet made ruts in the sand. Sakura gave no quarter, rushed in. She launched herself into the air, sailed in with a left roundhouse kick aimed at Karin's chest. The blonde blocked with both forearms, staggering backwards from the impact of Sakura's shin bone.

Ryu winced. Oh. _That_ was why she used his stance. It was a good defensive position to counter from.

Sakura snaked in again, swung at Karin's left side with a short right hook. The blonde's ribs creaked, complained, made her hiss in pain. Sakura threw a left hook, right, left hand to the belly. The air left Karin's lungs entirely with a gasp and she doubled over, not entirely falling down but not in good shape, either. Sakura danced backwards, settling into a more offensive stance.

Karin looked up at Sakura, a smirk developing on her features. "That's as far as I'll let you go."

Sakura grinned. "That's just what I wanted to hear. Stand up and come on!"

Ryu smiled. Okay, good. They weren't out to kill each other, and Sakura gave Karin room to recover. This was turning out to be a good fight after all.

Karin recovered her stance, came in with a right straight to the torso. Sakura's arms moved… and she was knocked backwards as Karin's left hand dug into her solar plexus. She landed on her back, five feet away from the sudden palm strike.

"Stop," Ryu called out. "Point for Karin. Recover and take stances." Not bad. She'd improved since the last time they'd fought. Still, Karin had to be hurting because of that fierce assault that Sakura unleashed.

The brunette stood, dusted herself off. "Nice hit."

Karin nodded, but did not respond. She took her stance.

Sakura grinned. "You're right. This isn't the time for talking." She set herself, prepared to attack.

"All right, second set." Ryu stepped in between them, made sure they were in position. Good, they were. He moved out of their way. "_Let's go_!"

This time it was Sakura who advanced first. She closed the distance within the space of a breath, rammed her right fist toward Karin's chest. Ki twisted outward from the fist, turning the straight attack into a spiral one. "_**Sandanjuu!**_"

Karin's forearms caught the impact, but it wasn't enough. The attack broke through her guard, and the last two ticks slammed home. She staggered, kept her footing, only to have Sakura in her face again. "Shit!"

Sakura's right fist rammed toward her again and Karin moved to block, only for Sakura to throw a left roundhouse kick just above Karin's right knee. She growled in pain, eyes screwed shut and face locked in a grimace. Sakura drove her right heel into the blonde's stomach and pushed outward. Side thrust kick. Karin fell to the sand hard, a good four feet away.

"Okay, stop! Recover and take stances." This was really turning out to be some fight. Karin had just been matched, blow for blow. Ryu looked over at Sakura; saw her wide eyes and her huge grin. Wow. She was really into this.

Karin got up, shook the sand out of her hair. Her face was unreadable, a mask of indifference. But her aura was vibrating with an almost uncontrollable frequency. Ryu smirked. She was just as excited. No need to hide it, really. "Get ready… go!"

It wasn't even a full second after he had started the fight, and Sakura was off. He could feel the ki in her legs as she blurred toward Karin. Wow. She was really trying to end the round in one shot.

With a shrill cry, Sakura buried her left fist half an inch into Karin's body before she had the chance to get out of stance. Karin's eyes widened as she stumbled back, gasping for air. Sakura didn't let up, throwing three more straight punches at Karin's chest before she could raise an effective defense. Her rival staggered further back, winced in pain.

Sakura got in her face again, a wild grin plastered on her face. She ducked down for only a moment, channeled instantaneously… and let fly. "_**Shoryuken!**_"

Her right fist dug into Karin's belly, tore upwards. Three hits registered, one of them straight to the solar plexus. Karin went flying, ten feet upwards. She seemed weightless at the apex of her trip before she began falling back to the sand again. Gravity performed its cruel, unbiased task of bringing what was up, right back down.

Sakura landed, clenched her right fist as she looked up. "_Yes_!"

Ryu's eyebrows frowned. Damn. That looked like it really did a number on her. Was she all right? He moved to try and catch her when he felt her aura come alive. An eyebrow rose in curiosity. She was doing something.

Three feet before impact, Karin threw her legs backward, tucked her knees in to flip again, and landed on the balls of her feet. She looked up at Sakura, hazel eyes shining. "_Enough_!"

Ryu's eyes widened as the air around Karin drew inwards. Uh oh. She was channeling ki. Sakura could be in trouble. He looked over at Sakura and raised an eyebrow. She must have been able to sense what was going on.

Sakura's hands trembled, stared fixedly at Karin as she drew energy toward her. "Wow…" She grinned, fists tightened. "_Awesome_! That's more _like_ it!" She got into stance, bent her knees, drew ki inwards. "Come on! Show me what you got!"

Ryu saw Karin's grin from the corner of his right eye. He smiled. She just couldn't hold it anymore, could she? How much did they need? What was going to happen when they were done? Ryu's fists tightened, his heart raced. He wanted to see it.

They stopped drawing energy and everything went silent. Time seemed to slow as the two of them stared each other down. Ryu raised an eyebrow. What was this?

Sakura giggled. "Hey, you look weird. There's this green light around you."

Karin smirked, pointed to Sakura. "Speak for yourself. Look at you, you're all blue. It doesn't look strange on you, though."

Ryu's eyes widened. No. It couldn't be. They could see each other's auras? How? Had they taken in so much energy that it couldn't be contained? He softened his gaze a moment, stilled his mind. Ten seconds, passed… twenty… he sighed, shook his head. He couldn't see them. But there were certainly some major waves coming off of them; he could feel it.

Sakura eased off of her stance, raised her right hand to her face. Her eyes widened, eyebrows raised. "Whoa… This is my aura, huh? Weird." She moved her hand through the air, watched transfixed as the light followed her every movement. Sakura grinned. "Cool."

"Don't ignore the situation, Kasugano." Karin set herself. "We're in a fight!"

Sakura got into stance again. "Right, back to business!"

Ryu nodded. Good. Keep her focused. It wasn't over yet. If he remembered right, they each had a knockdown in their favor. Still, something had just happened, even if he couldn't see it yet. There was no time to consider it now. He had to keep this from getting out of control.

"You ready?"

"Any time you are." Karin was still motionless, waiting for her adversary to make a move.

Sakura dug her feet into the sand, lowered her stance. "Then let's get moving!" The grit beneath her exploded outward as she rocketed forward, her body a blur of white and blue. A birdlike cry pierced the air as she closed the distance, her face full of excitement.

Karin was on her way as well, moved just as fast. She roared as she charged headlong, heedless of defense.

The two met halfway, Sakura wildly launched a right straight while Karin threw out her Hou Shou palm strike. Instead of hitting their targets, the two attacks collided against each other. A shockwave of force knocked the two women backwards before they charged in again. They beat on each other, fists flying as they tried to wear each other down the tiniest bit.

Ryu gritted his teeth. Hard to see what was going on very well any more. Sure looked like it hurt, though. No matter. They wouldn't die from all this. But they might break something, though. That'd be bad for their progress. His eyes widened as Sakura flew backwards from a sudden surge of attacks from Karin. Was that it? No. Sakura recovered before she hit the ground. Nice.

Karin launched herself forward again, tried to maintain pressure. She faked high with her right, moved in with two elbow strikes. Sakura staggered backward, jaw clinched. Her chest almost caved in from Karin's Guren Ken strikes… and then she shot upwards as her rival's legs kicked outward.

Karin knelt, prepared herself. "Kanzuki-ryuu…" Her aura grew in intensity, the green halo of light almost too bright to look at. She launched herself upward, the air around her exploding as she rocketed toward Sakura. "…_**Kou'ou Ken**_!" Her arms pin wheeled, palms tore into Sakura and sent her back down to earth hard.

Ryu grimaced as Sakura's body rammed into the unforgiving sand, bounced into the air after impact. Damn. Was she all right? He sighed in relief as Sakura threw her legs over her head before hitting the ground again. Good. But that had to hurt!

Sakura rushed underneath Karin as she fell from her leap, a grin almost splitting her face in half. "Here I go!" Her right leg cannoned upward as she channeled her ki through the limb, toward the foot. Her heel slammed into Karin's gut, sent her flying again.

It didn't stop there.

Sakura put the right leg down only to spring off of it and spin into Karin with her left leg like the rotor blade of a helicopter. The kick didn't knock her down just yet; instead, it rammed into her eight times in total. Sakura had enough energy built up to launch a final back kick with her right leg, still in mid-air. "_**Shinpuukyaku**_!"

Karin soared, the breath leaving her lungs with a dry exhale. She hit the sand three seconds later, the ground heaving upon impact. Sakura landed on the balls of her feet, bounced back and forth. "Come on, get up. You got one more left in you."

Ryu's eyes widened. Whoa. That was incredible. The exchange of energies filled the air, overtook his senses. He looked over at where Karin had landed. Her aura was weaker, much less vibrant. He looked over toward Sakura, nodded. So was hers. They'd spent most of their ki on those techniques they had just used. But Sakura was right; they had at least one more left before they were back to normal.

Ryu crossed his arms in front of him. They were gonna exhaust themselves on this last charge. Whoever scored the knockdown first would win. Normal techniques that used one's own personal energy didn't affect that which they'd drawn in. In fact, the more attacks one threw, the more energy they had ready.

It was anything that drew from those stored reserves that would take away from it; anything that required more ki than what was necessary. Once those reserves were gone, there was something like a hangover. One was exhausted and worn out until they could get their normal energy levels back.

But as long as they didn't draw from that which they'd drawn in…. Ryu shrugged. Well. Anything was possible then. Speed, power, stamina all increased. Pain was dulled. Senses were heightened. But using any kind of advanced technique or a big move would shorten the lifespan of that boost considerably.

He felt the air shift a bit, looked over to Karin. Good. She was still able to stand.

Karin pulled herself out of the hole she'd just made in the sand and shook the grit from her blond hair. She walked a few feet, got into stance within a few meters of Sakura. "Then this one will end it."

Sakura nodded. "It was fun, really! You've gotten a lot better…" Her fists tightened, stance lowered. "Let's give it all we got, okay?"

Karin just got ready for the attack that she knew was coming.

Sakura's body seemed to go rigid for a moment, and then she shot forward, covering the distance in a heartbeat. She fired off a left roundhouse kick at Karin's right thigh. Karin lifted her leg to check it… and then Sakura lowered that leg, planted it; fired off a Hadouken with her left hand. It hit Karin squarely in the gut, but she regained her footing. Sakura didn't care. She pressed the offensive, flew into Karin with reckless abandon, hit her with a short right hook to the ribs and hit in deep with a left knee to the solar plexus. Karin hissed in pain, staggered further back.

Sakura kicked the inside of Karin's right leg, made her stumble. She kicked the outside and almost made her collapse with the force of the attack. Again, again, over and over… and Karin showed signs of tiring out.

Ryu raised an eyebrow. She was trying to make her collapse instead of knocking her down, was she? But it wasn't that good of a tactic. Attrition never was. He felt Karin's aura flare up. This was it.

Karin's eyes opened, hazel fire shining from their depths. Her teeth clenched, legs shook dangerously, but she held her position. "Kanzuki-ryuu…"

"Not this time!" Sakura sprung away, hopped again; set her stance. She brought her hands together, bright blue streams of energy flying towards the space between her palms from everywhere; the sand, the air, even the remainder of her very aura was sucked in. "_**Rasen…**_!"

Ryu's eyes widened. Whoa. That was a _hell_ of a lot of energy… what was she doing?

"You're too late. _**Shinpikaibyaku**_!" Karin charged forward and unleashed four rapid palm strikes. Sakura was finished by then… and got hit anyway. The pain set in instantly. The aura surrounding her was put into the attack, and so every hit she took during the fight came back to her like so much bad karma.

She was beyond caring. "_**…Hadouken**_!" Sakura shot backwards as the final palm strike was delivered, but had the silliest grin on her face.

The shockwave caught Karin completely by surprise. Pain shot through just about every nerve she had, including once she didn't think existed. The attack drilled into her, delivered one impact after another until it winked out. Eight hits total. She flew ten feet away, the green halo of light around her body faded as she landed on her upper back and shoulders. After a hard bounce, she face planted in the sand.

Sakura's stance broke with Karin's final move, leaving her not much better off. The Rasen Hadouken blasted her backwards as well and made her tumble head over heels on the hard-packed earth before finally settling down several feet away. Sakura laid still. Everything hurt. Nothing spared.

Ryu sprinted over to Karin, fell to one knee. "Karin, can you hear me?" He shook her right shoulder. Holy shit! What did Sakura do to her? He felt for a pulse, sighed in relief. Still alive. Such an immense amount of ki, but it still wasn't the kind that could kill. He shook her again. "Come on, on your feet."

Karin groaned. "Ryu…?" She pushed herself up with her hands, her body quivered with fatigue and aches. "What… what just happened? What was that?"

Ryu looked toward Sakura, shook his head. What indeed. "I don't know. But I can't call this match. Look there." He pointed toward where the brunette was lying.

Karin looked up, eyes widened. "Is she okay?"

Ryu nodded. "Yeah, she is. Thing is, this doesn't make it a win for either of you. The match is a draw."

Karin shook her head. "I've never felt that much energy in my life. It was like a tsunami…"

Ryu nodded. He didn't want to say anything to dampen her spirits. But she had a point. He'd never seen anything like that. He could feel the pressure coming off of her ki from where he stood. That one move was stronger than the Shinkuu Hadouken. _Much_ stronger. He bowed his head slightly, eyebrows knotting. It could possibly take someone out in one single blow, but he wasn't sure of that.

He looked up again. "She did that on purpose. Let you hit her, drew you in. She didn't care if your attack did the trick or not, just fired from as close of a range as possible."

Karin nodded. "It's obvious in hindsight. I've used that attack too many times on her. She knew that the first few hits wouldn't knock her down, but the last would." She stood, fought the need to collapse on the sand again. "I've got a long way to go…"

Ryu held onto her, guided her towards the beach towels. "You need some rest. I'll get Sakura up."

* * *

That evening, on the beach, Ryu sat with his legs folded, palms turned upward. When had Sakura developed that move? He searched his memories, attempted to find what he was looking for. Was it way back in Japan while he was asleep? Why did she not show it to him then? He shook his head. No. That wasn't it. It had to be later, when they started moving from place to place. Where had they been to next?

Hong Kong. Yeah, that was it. So it had to have been there. He searched again. What exactly had she been doing? He wound forward, played everything in slow motion from the first day. Something came to him. Sakura had been doing something big with her ki on the roof of the hotel…

Wait and see, she'd said. Was this it? Ryu's head seemed to clear. Yes. It was. His eyes opened, brows creased in worry. She was advancing far too quickly. He didn't know what else to teach her that she couldn't learn on her own. Sakura already developed several unique moves on sheer instinct.

He couldn't let Gouki have her. The possibilities were catastrophic if he got to her. Ryu began formulating yet another plan. Hopefully, Chun-Li was rested enough now to keep him busy, but just in case, he would have to find another way around him. Sakura knew the basics, but she would always be learning. That was the path she'd chosen; she knew that. Of course, that meant that she could always, always learn from the worst people imaginable.

"Finding it difficult to sleep?"

He nodded. Dhalsim. He wasn't so surprised by his sudden appearances anymore. "Yes. I expect you know why."

The yoga master sat next to him, legs folded the same as his. His blank eyes stared out at the ocean, toward the setting sun. "You do understand that sooner or later, this power will corrupt them both. Why do you teach these things when you know the inherent dangers? Not even you are immune."

Ryu frowned slightly. He asked himself that same question constantly. "She started learning far before I started teaching her. She lacked proper guidance; I felt I had to do something before the wrong people came in contact with her." He looked toward Dhalsim. "I know that you're against violence, but it's a violent world. Some people are selfish, greedy, desperate, and easily angered. Sometimes the only way to reason with them is force. I'm against killing as much as you are, though."

Dhalsim closed his eyes, breathed. "This kind of force should only be used against someone who is truly evil; so violent and filled with negative spirit that they are a danger to all. But if one fights a monster, they are in danger of becoming that which they fight. I will help them as much as they can, because the being that pursues them is as such. But they must stay the course which they now tread, no matter what."

Ryu sighed, closed his eyes again. "The problem is that she's learning too quickly. It's like nothing's a secret to her. I'm going to have to leave her sooner or later."

Dhalsim nodded. "Do not become attached. Let things take their course."

Stillness reigned as the sun dipped below the horizon. Ryu began considering having Sakura and Karin travel on their own. But not yet. No, they had more work to do. The time was coming though, and sooner than he'd planned…

* * *

**Round 36: **_**Seeing the Spirit**_

It's been a long time in coming, but here it is. I don't really have much to say for this one except that I wanted to make this fight as exciting as possible. At the same time though, I wanted to display a few concerns that the other characters were having. I sure hope you guys forgive me for the long wait. Oh, and thanks to everyone who added this story to their favorites, or me to their Author Alerts because of the story. Much appreciated. Spread the word if you think it's good enough!

_Whoa, there it is!_


	37. Aura Hiding

_It's cold out here on the beach in the mornings. The wind brings the cool air from the ocean toward the shore and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Not like I care; I love it, in fact. Karin's back at the hotel, still sleeping. Somehow, I managed to get out before either her or sensei could detect me. I'm sitting here on the sand, trying to catch the sun as it wakes up, and I'm all excited for some reason._

_The fight yesterday… I felt something I'd never felt before. I can still feel it now; it's like living for the first time since I was born. I know that's a bad way to put it, and cryptic, but there it is. I don't know if I'll be able to hold onto this, or even if I should, but it's a really nice feeling. I know I should just let it pass, but I don't want to just yet. I want to keep it just a little longer, at least while I'm here on this beach._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

"Geez, is he still sleeping?"

Karin sighed and shook her head. "He is. Probably tired from being out here all night, training." She peered over at Sakura with a raised brow. "I didn't see you this morning when I woke up. Were you out here all night or something?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head with a sheepish grin. Shoot. She hadn't meant to make Karin worry. "Well no. I kinda snuck outta the room while you guys were asleep. I'm surprised I even managed to open the door without making any noise! Heh…"

Karin folded her arms in front of her chest and stared down her nose at the brunette. "Are you really that irresponsible? What if something happened to you? You're not all that well-trained, despite how much you've improved. I would rather we stay together in the same place than one of us being in trouble when the other can't reach them."

Sakura's features turned down. "But I wanted to see the sunrise… I mean, you kinda need to get up early to see that. And don't tell me it's perfectly fine to see it from the hotel room, either! I like the view from the beach." Yeah. Not too good of an excuse. "But if you're really that worried about me, I won't do it again."

Karin turned away from Sakura with a huff. "You're impossible sometimes."

A moment of silence passed before Karin spoke again, her tone softer. "…How was it?"

Sakura grinned in her usual manner. "You had to see it to believe it. I can't really explain this kinda thing, y'know?"

Karin chuckled as she looked toward the ocean. "Take me with you next time."

Sakura's grin seemed wider. Go figure. "Okay, sure thing!" She stretched upwards, standing up on her toes to get a good reach. "So what are we gonna do today? Seems like we've done just about everything besides what we came here to do." Not like she minded. It was fun just being here.

"I am glad to see you both so eager to begin."

The two women turned around, not surprised in the least. Sakura bowed her head, eyes closed in respect and hands folded before her. "Namaste. I hope you're well-rested."

Dhalsim nodded. "We must begin in earnest. There is not much time to learn." With that, he promptly vanished in a haze of light, only to reappear behind them.

The hair at the back of Sakura's neck stood on end as her internal radar pinged. Whoa. She couldn't sense him until just now. "You can't fool me with that anymore, teacher."

Dhalsim chuckled, set his feet on the ground. "It appears I cannot. You have done well to learn this in such a short time, both of you. Yet there is much you need know before setting off again." He walked farther toward the shore, sat down. "Come, let's start."

They walked toward their teacher, Karin in front. Sakura raised an eyebrow as she took a good look at the blonde. When did she get those capris? Or that top? Sakura looked down at her faded jeans and light blue shirt, stuck her tongue out. Damn. A trip to the nearest clothes store was definitely in the cards for later.

"Focus, Sakura."

She looked up just in time to avoid bumping into Karin's back. She felt her face warm just a bit. "Sorry…" Not a good start. Whatever. She sat next to her, folded her legs, closed her eyes halfway and exhaled. Her muscles loosened, breath slowed. She almost giggled at how silly it was to worry about clothes, but refrained and returned to her breathing. One minute passed without her notice as she delved into the part of her that didn't need to make sense of things.

She felt weightless, almost shapeless. Her skin tingled with newfound energy. Part of her yearned to scream for joy, shout; do whatever it could to express what was happening. Yet her body refused to move. She felt as if she could do this for weeks, months. Years, even. She wanted to sit there forever in amazement…

"Enough."

A hand touched her right shoulder and Sakura almost shuddered with regret as she felt herself being pulled away from the comfortable, endless void. Her eyes refocused as the world swam into view. Her mind tried to form thoughts, but they were long gone now. She looked up toward Dhalsim's smiling face, and couldn't help but smile back.

"I could sense you slipping away. Are you not afraid of losing yourself?"

Now words came, and they were soft spoken. "I dunno. It felt like I wasn't even on the beach for a while, though. Is that normal?"

Dhalsim nodded. "It is a connection with the energy of life itself. The deeper one goes into meditation, the further it progresses. You can feel it even now, yes?" He walked toward Karin and tapped her shoulder as well, which drew her out of her meditation in similar fashion. "Now that your minds are refreshed, we will begin today's lesson."

Sakura seemed to sit up a bit straighter. Her face couldn't hide the eagerness that threatened to burst forth. Finally, time to get going! She didn't care what she learned, as long as it was related to fighting. Besides, she wanted to head to the next spot as soon as possible.

"Masking one's aura is not difficult if one realizes what must happen to produce the effect. The aura is merely the outward expression of internal energy that radiates from a living being. With meditation and training, it can become quite large in size." Dhalsim began to draw in energy from his surroundings. "The aura can become visible to all and sundry if enough is concentrated in the body… like so."

Sakura had to blink for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the golden light that radiated from her teacher. She'd never felt anything like this from _Ryu_, and he was one of the strongest guys she knew. She'd love to give that power of his a good workout, but he didn't fight. Oh, well.

Karin shook her head in wonder. "Amazing… So much power and you don't use it to fight at all."

Dhalsim fixed his blank eyes on her. "I am against the use of the energies of life for the purpose of injury. Violence causes unnecessary suffering. If I am to use them for anything, it is for the good of others."

Karin looked away to avoid his gaze, her face taking on a somewhat guilty cast. "I know that…"

He smiled and toned down his aura. "Still, if one is to defend themselves or someone else, they must be knowledgeable in some form of combat. Protecting life, above all else, should be the goal of any martial artist. Fighting without causing death or injury is the preferred method, yet one must avoid a battle rather than leap into one."

Sakura tilted her head to one side. What was he getting at? There were a whole bunch of crazy, violent people out there. Besides, she didn't fight to be violent. So why was he going on about this? She shook her head. No matter. Maybe she'd ask Ryu later.

Dhalsim looked toward Sakura with a chuckle. "You will understand one day. For now, let us continue." He released the energy he'd drawn in and his aura dissipated. "The aura can be sensed by those sensitive enough to it, which is limited to those who can feel the flow of life energy. However, should the aura itself be made less noticeable, one can become untraceable."

Sakura nodded, he head bobbing as if she were one of those dolls in a car. Oh, this'd be easy to figure out! "So what you're saying is the aura is basically energy that someone gives off, right?" Her face almost split in half from her wide grin. "I already know how, then!"

Dhalsim raised an eyebrow and Karin swiveled her head toward her. The next question, a single word, came from both at the same time. Karin's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief, but Dhalsim simply waited for the answer. "How?"

Sakura giggled, scratching the back of her head. "It's no big deal, really. All you have to do is this…" The grin slid from her face as she schooled it into a mask of serenity. Okay. This was a crazy as hell idea, but if she was to avoid a fight, she'd have to do it.

Sakura emptied her mind and willed her ki points to shut off. She started at the top of her head; figured that was the best place to start, if anywhere. She worked her way down, taking her time with each area. Ten seconds passed before a thin sheen of sweat lined her forehead, yet she did not move.

Karin stared in disbelief. "It can't be…" She snapped her head toward Dhalsim. "This can't be the right way, can it?"

Dhalsim's face remained neutral as he watched her, not bothering to answer Karin's question. She growled in a mix of frustration and concern. "It is, isn't it? Then we should stop her before she does something stupid! There's gotta be a safer way, right?"

Dhalsim's stare never left Sakura as she worked to cut herself off from the energy around her. "There is no safe way to do this. The weakness is not in the process, but in the effects. Still, to understand something such as this, she has learned well from Ryu."

Karin looked back at Sakura, chewing on her bottom lip.

After two minutes came and went, Sakura opened her eyes with an exhausted sigh. "Hoo… That was tough stuff. But that's how it's done, I think." She looked toward Dhalsim. "Was I right?"

He nodded. "Yes. How did you come to this conclusion?"

Sakura shrugged. It wasn't all that hard, when you thought about it. "The pressure points on your body are like faucets. You can turn them on and clog 'em, so I figured you could turn 'em off as well. But it's just so hard… the energy just wants to keep moving, and you have to fight it all the way."

Dhalsim nodded solemnly. "Yes. It is difficult to perform in a usual manner. It is also highly dangerous because your ability to defend yourself decreases significantly."

Sakura nodded. She knew that one too. "It's because you can't draw in any more energy or send it out, right? Once they're closed, that pretty much does it until you open them again."

Karin huffed, arms crossed in front of her. "Well if it's that simple, we should get to practicing, shouldn't we?"

Dhalsim held up a hand and conversation halted. "It is fine to train in this, but you must listen to all that it entails." He lowered the hand and set it back in his lap. "Your senses are unaffected by hiding your aura. In fact, with your own aura out of the way, you are able to sense the presence of other auras from a greater distance than normal. There is no doubt of the advantages that this puts in one's favor."

Sakura clapped her hands and rubbed them together until they were warmed up. "Then let's get it started! I'll keep practicing until I can close 'em as fast as you, teacher!"

Dhalsim smiled again. "I do enjoy your eagerness to learn."

* * *

Karin slammed her water bottle onto the table and gave Sakura a glare that would have killed anyone else. The plates on the table, food and all, jumped in shock. "How the hell did you do that?"

Sakura looked up from her plate, a fork still in her mouth. "Mmm?"

Karin's stare seemed to burn through Sakura's forehead. "Don't play innocent with me. You knew how to do that without being told. How did you do that?"

Sakura swallowed down her food and removed the fork from her mouth. Oh, that. She shrugged and sat back with a smile. "I just took what Ryu taught me and used it. He did say you could do anything with those ki points, and I figured the best way to hide an aura was to cut off the flow of energy. Doesn't mean that you're dead, just means you're somewhat defenseless for a while. Only time it's dangerous is when someone else plugs 'em up in a way they're not supposed to and…"

Karin cut Sakura off with a growl. "Okay, I get it." She looked away from her, her expression stony. "I swear I'll never catch up if you keep on figuring things out so quickly."

Sakura raised an eyebrow curiously. What, this again? "Aren't you past that yet? It's not about competing against someone else. If you just keep on trying to be the best you can be, everything will turn out all right at the end." She grabbed her water bottle, took a swig. "Besides, if you keep on trying to be better than everyone else, you'll be unhappy forever."

Karin sighed, her head tilted downward and eyes closed. "I know that. But seeing things like that happen just frustrate me. You just seem to pick things up so quickly. I don't learn nearly as quickly as you do."

Sakura shrugged, took another bite of her food. "No problem with that. I'm not anywhere near perfect. I mean, there are lots of people that are stronger than me, pick up things faster than I do. And besides, you pay attention to details. That's important." She rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish grin. "I just kinda do what works, you know?"

Karin glanced at Sakura from the corner of her right eye. "Y'know, you always do know what to say to defuse me. It's kinda annoying that I can't get angry at you for more than a minute." She turned to face her again, her expression much less stiff. "I guess I'll have to try and get over it."

Sakura shook her head and leaned forward; set her water bottle on the table. "Hey, don't be afraid to talk to me about this stuff. If it helps, that is. After all, we're friends, right?" At least, she hoped they were friends. Some people kinda played around with that.

Karin shook her head with a sigh. "No, it's not that. Just that every time I see you improve or get something the first time, it's frustrating. I mean, I had to work hard for everything I know, and you just seem to… get it. Did it always come this naturally to you?"

Sakura giggled. She really did get a bunch of things wrong about her, didn't she? Okay then. It's time to clear things up. "You have to understand that just using ki is hard enough. You saw the Hadouken that I used to use against you, right? There wasn't much to it, and the only way I could really use a big one was at close range. That whole year I practiced? It was all spent trying to figure out how to use spiritual energy in the first place. Sure, I wasn't playing about the other stuff, but I just couldn't figure out how to do it the way he did. That's why I wanted him to train me personally."

Karin's expression sobered even further. "And now that you have…?"

Sakura grinned. "Well I can't just stop now, can I? I have to use it all for something, right? So I'll keep going, no matter what else. After all, I picked this path because I love it, so why would I stop just at the beginning? I mean, you feel the same way, right?"

Karin ran her fingers through her curls, scratched the back of her head. "Well, I mostly came with you to make sure you wouldn't get yourself hurt, but I suppose you could say that. I don't think I'd want to live my _whole life_ just looking for a good fight, though. Why would anyone do something like that?"

Sakura answered without hesitation. She figured this question would come up sooner or later. "Karin, for people like us… the rest of life is boring. Every fight is a chance to learn, to improve. Winning, losing, it doesn't matter. We don't fight just to fight, either. It has to mean something."

Karin lowered her head for a moment. "Finding a meaning to life in fighting…"

Sakura nodded. Yeah. That pretty much summed it up. "Some people say you can even find the divine in battle if you look hard enough. I don't know about that, but I do know that every time I fight, I feel something different from every person."

Karin lifted her head. "Interesting… and what do you feel from me?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head, her eyes closed. Damn. She couldn't really put words to it. "If I told you that, it wouldn't be fun anymore. You'd try and go for that same feeling over and over again."

"Try and fail, mostly." Karin chuckled and propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her hands. "So is that why everyone does it? Or is that just you?"

Sakura shook her head. "Everyone's got their reasons, really. I don't pretend that things are the same everywhere. But if you're a real fighter, you'll feel something that everyone feels, regardless of the reason. Don't go asking me what that is; I wouldn't know." She took another drink from her water bottle.

Karin picked up her fork and took a bite of her untouched food. "Well when you find out, let me know."

Sakura shrugged. "For all I know, you might find out before I do."

* * *

"You guys did well today."

Sakura grinned as she ate her dinner. "Well we tried hard! This stuff is difficult to do after all. I mean, I never thought it'd take so much work to do such a little thing. How long did it take you to do it, Ryu?"

He shook his head. "It didn't take anything. I never learned it at all."

Sakura's eyes widened, her mouth hung open. He had to be kidding. "Then why the heck do you know so much about it?"

Ryu took a bite of his food. "Master Gouken taught me much about the old ways of the style. Hiding one's aura used to be a way of sneaking up on a target to the point where one was completely undetectable until it was too late. They could take the unfortunate victim out with the least amount of effort, in total silence." He shook his head. "I didn't want to learn it because it used to be used for such violence."

Sakura went quiet. Oh. Now she felt bad for just asking him something like that. She tried to find something to say, but couldn't quite get the words to come out, much less form in her head.

Ryu saw the look on her face and smiled. "Don't worry too much about it. Just because it used to be used that way doesn't mean it doesn't have its good parts. Now that you know how to do it, it'll be a good way to avoid a fight."

Karin looked toward Ryu with a raised eyebrow. "You know, I just realized something. You and Dhalsim think alike, even though you have fewer problems with fighting than he does."

Ryu nodded. "Yeah, we do think alike. Fighting shouldn't be done if it doesn't have a meaning to it. At least, that's what I think. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't train. One should always be ready to defend themselves or others at a moment's notice. Don't forget that."

Sakura nodded and polished off her food with a flourish. "Well I could really use the practice. Besides, I love travelling around with you and Karin. I think it's fun, looking for a good fight and meeting all sorts of people."

Ryu's head bowed for a moment as he heard her speak. "Yeah, about that… I think the time may be coming for us to split up."

A silence hung over the room for a few seconds. Sakura's eyes widened as her brain put together the words he'd said. "But… but why? I don't know everything, you said it yourself! There's still a lot of things that I want to know! Why do we have to…?"

Ryu raised his hands in defense. "Hey, I didn't mean right now, Sakura. I just meant soon." He sighed. "Yes, there are plenty of things you still need to learn. But you can learn them on your own. Besides, there's not much left that I can teach you. I just showed you the right way to do the things you were already doing. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to make up your own moves, like that one Hadouken you did." He shook his head. "I still don't know how you did that, but you did it."

Sakura lowered her head, eyes turned away. How soon? Where would she go? What about Gouki; did he have a plan for him? Her eyes narrowed. No, he wasn't going to try and… She looked up at him, her expression stern. "I don't want to."

Ryu nodded. "I know. You're gonna have to."

Sakura's stare did not waver. "I won't. You can't fight that monster alone. I'm gonna help you."

Ryu smiled and ruffled Sakura's hair. "I see you guessed the plan. I figured you would sooner or later. But I'm the only one that can deal with him for now. I don't think even Ken can fight with Gouki without some kind of fatal injury. So if he wants to fight, I'll fight him. If I'm killed in the process, it doesn't matter. At the very least, I'll have slowed him down."

She refused to give up. He was gonna go off and do something crazy without her! That wouldn't do. "If he's really that scary, then not even you can stop him. You know that. You'd be better off with me and Karin; that way we can stick together, right?"

Karin chimed in. "I concur with that one. From what I can tell, he messed up Interpol something fierce. Even if Chun-Li manages to restrain him, or even defeat him, he won't give up until he wins or dies."

Ryu shrugged again. "I hear what you guys are saying, but it's gotta be done. Even Chun-Li knows she's only a diversion. If she can stall him for long enough, we can get Sakura where she needs to go. Then it'll be up to me to either stop him, or stall him some more."

Sakura pouted, crossed her arms in front of her chest. "But without you… I won't be ready."

Her teacher shook his head. "As long as you believe that, you'll never become truly strong. You've already got enough ability to learn things on your own, to find new ways to do things. Use that, and you won't go wrong."

Sakura looked away from him. This was so not fair. She needed to stay with him, to follow him. That was the plan. He made her better every day, showed her things she'd never find out on her own. For him to just say that they'd be parting ways so soon, maybe for good, was…

Karin frowned and turned to look at Sakura. "I think we should do what he says. Besides, we won't be helpless against him forever. Sooner or later, he's going to come looking for us, and we'll be ready when he does. Even if we're not, you've still got me." Karin smirked and tilted her head upward. "I won't let anyone else beat you but me, after all."

Sakura turned toward Karin with a pained smile. "Thanks. I'll be counting on you, then."

Sakura didn't write to Kei that evening. Probably best if she didn't know what was going on right now anyway. Besides, she'd feel better tomorrow. She hoped so, anyway.

* * *

**Round 37: **_**Aura Hiding**_

Okay, that does it for that. I'm not necessarily going to say how long this one took, but the ideas were certainly out of reach for a while. Tell you guys what; check out my Twitter for information on further updates. The link is in my profile in case you wanna take a look.

On that note, I'm going to start writing something else now. Hopefully it'll be better than this is. I mean come on; I've done better with less time. So if you want to tell me this chapter sucked, go ahead and do it. But hey, the other thing is pretty much acceptable as well. If you thought it was good, go ahead and expound on it. Either way, this one's in the bag.

_It ain't over 'til it's over!_


	38. The Price of Power

_I don't really know what we're doing today. Seems to me that we're done here, but why do I have the feeling that we're not? It's like a whole other road has opened up, and we're not even finished with the first half of it. Maybe it's that I don't want to leave. This place is safe. Safe as a place can be, anyways. There's this guy after me that wants to teach me, for some reason I can't understand, how to kill. I never want to learn how to do that._

_I understand why we have to keep moving. Ryu told me over and over again why it's important. But he scares me. There's a force inside him that I've never felt before in my life, and it scares the hell out of me. I can feel its crushing power even from fifty miles away. If that's the killing intent that Ryu was talking about, I don't ever want to be that close to it again._

_We should stay, for just a little while longer. But we can't. Besides, I refuse to be afraid to move._

-Excerpt from the diary of Sakura Kasugano, recent entry

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

"Again, punch harder. Put more into it."

Sakura's right foot pushed into the sand, tried to dig right into the earth as she directed her hips around. The rest of her body acted as it should, and her right fist whipped forward, retreated twice as fast as it extended. A thin sheen of sweat lined her forehead, dampened her training gi. Everything hurt, everywhere. Sand between her toes, arms tired, legs burning from the position they were in.

"Good. Do it again."

She snapped out her left fist, felt the energy as it shot from the ground, through her body, toward its eventual destination… someone's face. She wanted to grin, but instead schooled her face into a mask of composure. Serious business is serious. She didn't wait for his next command, just followed with her right arm.

"Stay relaxed; tighten up only at the point of impact."

Her jaw tightened, eyes narrowed. She'd get it right or damn near kill herself trying. Sakura snapped forward with a combination, left-right-left. Go faster. She threw the combination again, fists a blur as they lashed out at her invisible target.

She heard a chuckle from her right side. "Calm down. You're doing fine."

Sakura stopped for a moment, breathing hard. "Am I? You keep on telling me all these things I'm doing wrong, sensei." She threw another right straight. "That kinda sends mixed signals."

Ryu nodded. "You're doing great. I just like sending you a few reminders here and there, that's all."

Sakura lowered her guard and stood at ease, turned her head to look at Ryu. "I appreciate it, really. Just gets me a little confused, that's all." She set herself into a fight stance again. "Okay, let's go again!"

Ryu walked over and squeezed her right shoulder. "Actually, let's take a break. Cool off a bit. Come with me."

Sakura stood at ease again and followed Ryu toward the towels that lay on the sand, twenty feet away. She sat, folded her legs. "Okay, so what are we doing? Gonna meditate now?"

Ryu nodded. "Yes, we are. I think it's good to clear one's mind sometimes when too much is going on. I'd also like to see what you've been up to. I know I haven't been around lately. I'm trying to find out where Gouki is right now, but he's completely hidden from me." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Now that I've said that, though… show me what you're working on."

Sakura nodded, closed her eyes. She inhaled, focused her mind on her breath. Her thoughts slowed, stilled, and finally, silenced. She cast off even the focus on her breathing. Only the subconscious remained. She only gave it one command, simple and direct. Open.

It happened without warning; her ki points opened all at once, and bright blue streams of energy burst forth. Ryu nodded. "Good, there's your aura. Now let's see you…"

She didn't hesitate with the next step, cutting Ryu's next words off. Her aura dissipated just a little, shrinking until it rested two inches above her skin. She intensified it until it was practically a sheet of armor, and the only way to cause even light damage was if someone knew how to use ki attacks.

Ryu raised an eyebrow. "…Well, that's taken care of. All right, I won't say anything else. Just do the rest of it."

She began increasing her output, one step at a time. The aura around her seemed to brighten in its intensity and expand in size. Her mind remained a void filled with energy, everything else outside of it. Eyes still closed, breathing still deep. The rest of her body ran on autopilot. A few moments later, the aura winked out… but she felt her energy recovering. A thin sheen of sweat coated her forehead, yet she didn't notice a thing.

After thirty seconds of keeping it contained, she opened her ki points again and let her aura stretch as far as she could. Once it reached three hundred feet, her body seemed to shudder. It wouldn't take any more than that. She eased up and shrank it to one hundred and fifty feet, then shaped it into a dome.

Ryu smiled. "All right, that's enough."

The aura winked out and Sakura opened her eyes, blinked them a bit to clear the haze from them. "Was that okay? I mean, it's not much, but…"

Ryu laughed. "Are you kidding? You've got a lot more control over your ki now. All that meditation really helped. And you completely vanished from my senses for a little while there, too. With all this, I don't think there's too much left to do here." He placed a hand on his chin. "Karin though, might have to learn a bit more to catch up with you."

Sakura nodded, her features turned down just slightly. "How is she doing?"

Ryu shrugged. "She's okay now, still in the room."

Sakura looked back toward the hotels at the beach front. She was afraid this would happen, sooner or later…

* * *

_Earlier that morning_

Karin sat with her legs folded, hands in her lap, eyes closed against the rays of the sun. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as if she were trying to move a mountain with her will alone. Sweat beaded on her forehead, soaked her sports top. Her bright green aura flared with the effort to force it into motion.

"It is not something to be fought. Allow it to flow."

She continued to push, her energy pouring outward. Her aura began to shape itself into a fifteen-foot wide dome with an almost painful slowness. Thirty seconds passed before it completed and Karin opened her eyes. The effort she put forth showed in her gaze.

Dhalsim nodded. "Excellent. But do not strain yourself. This is not the reason for the training, to exert force."

Karin did not respond. Her steely gaze focused past her teacher and out toward the ocean, fingers trembling as she tried to maintain control over her energy.

Sakura, just a few feet away from where Karin sat, watched her struggle. She looked toward Dhalsim. "Is she gonna be okay, teacher?"

Dhalsim's blank eyes stared toward Karin, or rather, the space around Karin. "She is wearing herself down. Her aura is fading in strength."

Sakura's gaze turned from worry to shock. "We have to stop her, then! If this keeps up, she'll…"

"Not yet." Dhalsim would not take his eyes off of her. "True, one can die from using too much of their life force. If it comes to that, I will stop her then. But for the most part, she will become too exhausted to use it any further. She must learn this now… the results of pushing too hard."

Karin ignored the conversation, as if it weren't happening just a few feet away from her. Her aura radiated with her determination. Soon however, her eyelids began to droop and the ki surrounding her began to flicker out of existence. She gritted her teeth. "No… just a bit more…"

Dhalsim closed his eyes. "She is at her limit for now. Watch closely, Sakura."

Her aura winked out without a moment's notice and she closed her eyes, collapsing to the sand like a hot air balloon with a hole in it. She looked lifeless, a wet, limp rag doll. Dhalsim walked over and knelt beside her, put two fingers to her jugular vein for a few moments… nodded. "She lives."

Sakura's face bore a disconcerted frown. "Barely, I bet. Why'd she do that when she knew that would be the obvious result?"

Dhalsim looked over his left shoulder, white eyes burning a hole in Sakura's forehead. "Why indeed."

She blinked at his gaze for a few moments. "Don't tell me she did that because of me. I thought she was over that."

He shook his head. "I know not. You must ask her when she comes to. It should be no longer than a few hours, but if she wants to recover completely it will take a full day, two at the most. She is not to use her energy for anything until then." He placed a hand on her forehead, just at her third eye.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

He continued to rest his hand over the chakra point, eyes closed. "I am sealing off the points on her body. It will help her recover her strength. Do not worry; she will be able to open them on her own. But perhaps now she will understand the meaning of overreaching."

Sakura looked down at Karin, anxious for her friend. "I'll take her back to the room. You don't have to do anything else; you've already done enough." She walked toward Karin until Dhalsim's empty gaze stopped her in her tracks.

"You must convince her never to do this again. It is not something to fight against, but to let flow. You understand this, do you not?"

Sakura nodded. "Ryu taught me that pretty well. I guess I need to start teaching it now, right? But I'm gonna admit, I don't know how."

Dhalsim stood and smiled. "You will find your own way. No, you _must_ find your own way." He pressed his hands together and bowed before vanishing in a haze of light.

Sakura bowed toward the empty space that he occupied moments ago, looked down at Karin with a sigh. "What are we gonna do with you now…"

* * *

She came to in a place she did not recognize at first. Her head rested against a warm pillow, hazel eyes stared up at a white ceiling. She looked to her left, saw a lamp on a nightstand. Her eyes widened. The hotel room. She sat up so fast the room whipped past her eyes. Her head spun and she lay back down again with a groan, a hand against her forehead. "How…"

"Glad to see you're still with us."

She looked to her right, eyes half-lidded. "…Sakura?" She understood now. Something happened out there on the beach. Sakura brought her back here. "How long have I been out?"

Sakura sighed, looked out the nearby window. "Three hours."

Karin sat up again, slower this time. Everything ached, as if someone beat on her with a sledgehammer while she was unconscious. Not good. "That's too long. I have to keep on…"

Sakura's head snapped back toward Karin, her eyebrows lowered and mouth turned down. "Don't even _think_ about it! Do you know what you almost did?"

Karin peered toward Sakura's expression with a raised eyebrow. She'd never seen her anywhere near angry before. What exactly happened out there? "I was just training, trying to get this thing right… and…"

Sakura leaned forward a bit, the irritation still fresh on her features. "And you almost killed yourself. You used too much. Any longer and you wouldn't be in this bed right now, waking up!" Her anger turned to worry. "You really don't remember though, do you?"

Karin shook her head. "Not really… I guess I really did pass out." She turned to stare at the wall near the television, hands clenched into fists. "Why is it so hard for me and not for you?" She already knew the answer to that. Sakura learned how to use her ki years ago. Karin never saw the use for it and never learned at all.

Sakura shook her head and sat on Karin's right side. "Don't worry about me. That's what got you into this in the first place, always wanting to be better than me. I'm not even that good."

Karin shook her head, smiled wryly. "It's not you… I've stopped wanting that a while ago."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, moved over to sit on Karin's right side. "Then why?"

Karin looked down at her hands, relaxed them. Sadness tinged her expression. "Sakura, I have a certain standard that I set myself. There's a level I want to reach that I'm not at yet, and that bothers me." She smiled, the tips of her eyebrows curved upward. "I'm learning things that I should have learned a while ago, to be honest. I thought I knew enough back then."

She felt Sakura's left hand squeeze her shoulder. "This isn't the way to learn, though. Forcing yourself to advance won't do any good. I mean sure, when it comes to training sheer physical technique, that's the way to go, fight through the pain. But here, if you stress yourself, you'll die. That's no joke, Karin."

Karin sighed. "I know that… but it takes too long, especially considering our situation. When we leave, we'll have Gouki after us again. He's probably recovered by now, so he'll be waiting for us to move away from here. I'd rather that he not catch me while I'm meditating."

Sakura's head bowed as well. "I know that." Her hand squeezed Karin's shoulder a bit harder. "He scares me, Karin. That much power… and it was a black energy. It wanted to crush whatever was in the way." She shivered. "I'm surprised anyone could walk through his aura without freezing in their tracks."

Karin nodded. She might not have been able to sense it back then, but she understood what Sakura meant. "I'm not entirely in the mood to fight someone like that. He probably thinks us cowardly for hiding like this, though. Someone like him would never hide from anyone." He didn't have to when he could slice someone in half with his bare hands.

Sakura's expression hardened. "We can't let him push us around like this forever. But I can't help but think there's a lot to learn here. Besides, it's safe here, isn't it? If we trained here for a few more days, then maybe it'd be okay." She looked up toward Karin again. "But it's not okay to just hide here."

Karin smiled and shook her head. "No, it's not. That's no way to live." She lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes. "Think I might rest for a bit longer. See if I can't get rid of this headache. Let me know when something to eat gets here, okay?" That was, if she'd be awake to eat it.

She wondered what would happen now. What did Dhalsim think of her for doing something like this? Probably thought she was stupid for trying it. Right now, she would agree with him. Part of her knew it would happen like this. The rest of her ignored it, drove her to continue pushing against the obvious iron wall before her. Well, never again.

All other thoughts silenced as real, honest sleep took hold.

* * *

_Now_

Sakura returned to the hotel room after another session of meditation only to find Karin still asleep. She smiled as she spotted an empty plate nearby on the nightstand. Well, nearly empty except for the remains of a sandwich. Good, at least the idiot was well enough to eat. She walked over to her own bed, sat down, wondered what to do now. She shrugged. Nothing else to do, not here. Karin would be better tomorrow, so they would have to leave soon.

She looked toward her diary, untouched throughout the entirety of the day. She'd promised herself before she left to write at least one entry each day, but today just wasn't working out that well for writing. She looked toward her suitcase, empty save for her laptop. She hadn't written to Kei in days. Too many things happened too fast. She never had time to put fingers to the keys.

She shook her head, smiled sadly. "All my time's gone…"

She flopped back onto the bed, her face a mask of serenity. Maybe something would come to her later, when she couldn't think anymore. Right now, she had too much to think about. Where they had to go next, what they would do there, if anything at all, who they would see. She grinned. Who would they fight? Now that she could sense the energy of others, it'd be easier to pick her fights. Not everyone knew how to use ki. Most of the time, they put it out unconsciously. But they all put it out at different rates.

Sakura stretched out on the bed as another thought surfaced. Ki responded to emotions, experiences, and desires. The more one trained, or the harder, the higher their output. It's only natural. She however could sense how strong someone was just by looking at them, now more than ever. And with her ability to hide her aura, it was a lot more precise.

She almost giggled. "This is gonna be so awesome."

She cut off the flow of her energy and looked toward the hallway. His presence was too familiar by now. He could come from a mile away and she could spot him before he even caught wind of her. There, he's about to knock. She hopped off the bed, walked toward the door, and opened it, his hand still raised. "Come in, Ryu!"

He smiled. "You're getting better at this. How far away was I?" He walked in with two bags of food in one hand.

Sakura closed the door behind him. "All the way down the hallway, at the elevator."

Ryu shrugged. "You can't sense me farther than that, I suppose. It'll get better." He put the bags down on the table next to the window that overlooked the city below and turned toward Karin. "She's recovering just fine, I see. Her sleep isn't as fitful as it was before."

Sakura looked over toward her friend with a sigh. "Honestly, that girl. She's never really satisfied with herself, is she?" Sakura grinned again as she watched her sleep. "Well I guess I'll just have to give her more confidence, won't I? I don't think it'll be too hard to do."

Ryu sat at the table, started unpacking the food. "I don't think you should bother her all that much. She should go her own way. Let her learn from this and she'll be fine." He chuckled. "Besides, I think she has a bit _too_ much confidence sometimes, don't you?"

Sakura shrugged and headed straight for the food. "Better a little too much than way too little. Besides, she's not as… overbearing as she used to be." She dug into a bag and fished out the first thing her fingers touched. "Used to think she was better than anyone and everyone while we were in high school."

Ryu looked over his right shoulder. "Did you hate her for it?"

Sakura shook her head. "Her confidence just made her seem really strong. So when she said she'd heard of me and wanted to fight me, I couldn't really say no, could I?" She shrugged. "I think I already told you how that turned out."

Ryu smirked. "You did. I'm still surprised you won, without so much of a day of formal training."

Sakura scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile. "I admit she did know more than I did. I just kinda did what worked, and got lucky." She took a bite out of her food. "Besides, I have formal training now, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you do. You can do what you want with it, as long as it doesn't involve killing anyone. I don't want you to use it for anything but defending yourself… and maybe making a living for yourself, if you wanted."

She smiled. He had no idea, did he? "I promise."

* * *

Sakura sat at the table near the window, looking out toward the skyline. The light from her laptop cast shadows on her contemplative face as she wondered what to write to her friend back in Japan. No, that wasn't the right word. She had more than one friend, didn't she? She'd have to have something to say for all of them, since she hadn't written in so long.

She looked back toward the screen, sighed. "I gotta write _something_, or else I'll never be able to sleep."

"And neither will I, with all your talking."

Sakura looked up from her screen with a grin. "Well you seem a lot better. Can't read your aura at all, but you sure look okay!"

Karin nodded. "I'll be okay tomorrow, I think." She looked around through the darkness of the room. "Is there anything left to eat?"

Sakura shook her head. "You slept all the way through dinner. You're gonna have to eat a _monster_ breakfast tomorrow morning." She turned back toward her screen. "You know, I'm still having a hard time figuring out what I'm gonna write to Kei and the rest of the guys. I don't think just saying hello will be enough this time."

Karin sat and stared at the blank e-mail message. "Well I can't offer much. Never been one to make many friends. Maybe you should just let them know you're still alive, still chasing your dream. Tell them about your diary. Tell them how much you've learned."

Sakura sniggered at the suggestion. "I wouldn't go so far as to do that. They wouldn't believe me. Besides, I'd rather show them. Has more of an effect, you know?"

Karin leaned back in her chair with a yawn. "Well as far as I'm concerned, that's what I'd write." She looked over to Sakura, eyes still glossy. "Why exactly do you strive so much to write your friends anyway? I mean, you don't have to, and it's just one more thing to worry about."

Sakura bowed her head, her face soft. "It's a connection."

Karin's expression turned curious, but she said nothing.

Sakura didn't notice as she carried on. "I've known Kei since we were kids. She's the first real friend I made, despite how much of a weirdo I was. We've been everywhere together, and every time I came back from travelling the world, she's been there for me." She looked up at Karin again, her face beaming. "So I want to stay connected with her, and all the people I've met. Is that weird?"

The blonde shook her head with a smile. "No, it's not." She turned toward the laptop. "I think I know what you should start with…"

Sakura nodded. "Let's hear it, I'm all ears."

* * *

Karin stretched out as the sun rose on the next day, her joints popping and cracking as she walked around the room. She wasn't all that surprised when she found the pillow next to her devoid of one Sakura Kasugano. The blonde headed toward the phone on the nightstand, hoping to grab some food before they went anywhere, but a knock on the door stopped her in mid-step. She checked the clock nearby, eyes wide as the red numbers faithfully showed the all-too-early hour.

Karin shook her head and turned toward the door. "Better be important," she muttered.

She didn't even take three steps before the door decided to open itself, revealing Sakura in the yoga outfit she'd bought recently. Her bare feet looked rough, coated with sand from the shore. She looked flushed, as if she'd gone a mile, hard and fast. Karin looked at the brunette with a bemused expression. "And where have _you_ been?"

Sakura grinned. "Training!" She stepped in without minding the carpet one bit. "Figured I'd stop by for breakfast before dragging you out there too. You're better, I can tell, so no excuses."

Karin chuckled. "As if I'm capable of making any." She turned toward the phone again, lifted the receiver. "Why don't you take a rest before you go sprinting off to wherever? You look beat."

Sakura flopped onto the bed, mussing up the neatly-arranged comforter. "Nah, I still got more where that came from. I'm just hungry, that's all." She looked over toward Karin. "You ready to try again?"

Karin paused for a moment, the phone halfway between the nightstand and her right ear. The image of her lifeless body on the Karala shoreline, drained from overextending herself one too many times, flashed through her mind. Her hands tightened, forcing the receiver to creak ever so slightly. "…No." She made her best effort to will the dread away, clear it from her mind. "But I have to."

Sakura sat up from the bed and gave Karin a smile of encouragement. "Don't sweat it. Look, now you know it's not something to be forced or controlled. Just…" She shrugged. "Let it happen."

Karin put the phone down and glared at her friend. "You say it like it's easy. We _both_ know it's not. Just sitting there will get us nowhere, we need to do something besides wait. An opponent certainly won't stand around while we fire all this up." Frustrated with her own lack of progress, she sighed and ran a hand through her curls. "How do you do it?"

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know if I can explain it all that well."

"Well, try."

Silence pervaded for all of ten seconds before Sakura scratched the back of her head. "I try to… feel instead of think. Y'know, listen to the body instead of the mind. Whenever it feels right, I go with it. When it starts to hurt or everything goes a little woozy, I stop and back off until it feels right again."

Karin stared, her expression blank. "You call that a good explanation?"

Sakura grimaced, her eyebrows knotted. "Well you _asked_ for me to try!"

The blonde shook her head and sat on the opposite bed, hard enough to make the springs creak. She bowed her head, eyes narrowed with concentration. Maybe she really was taking this the wrong way. She couldn't understand a damn thing Sakura said just a moment ago, but maybe if she tried…

Karin lifted her head, her expression apologetic. "I'll give it a shot. But if I pass out again, it's on your head this time, not mine."

They finished breakfast in silence once it came, then headed out toward the beach, bringing their mats and training outfits with them. Once they lay out the mats on the sand, they folded their legs underneath them and stared out toward the ocean, eyes unfocused and expressions made tranquil. Five minutes passed beneath their notice until they both picked up something on their internal radars.

Karin spoke first this time. "Namaste, teacher."

Dhalsim smiled. "I see I do not have to explain much to you anymore."

Karin nodded. "Sorry for yesterday. I want to try again."

Dhalsim nodded. "Then try again. Just know that I will not be there to catch you if you fall."

A hint of a grimace displayed itself on Karin's face before she calmed herself. What'd she expect? She took in a good lungful of air, exhaled with a methodical slowness… and reached into the part of her that worked on auto pilot, the part that didn't require thought.

Her aura flared to life, bright green streams of energy radiating from her skin. The drive to take hold of it surfaced, but she let it pass. She had to try to feel it, at least once. Her skin prickled, tingled as her ki passed over and through her, and she gave her subconscious a single command.

Move.

Her energy responded, as if understanding what it had to do, and burned brighter than ever. The aura stretched out, tested itself against the air. She let it happen without assuming control. After a few seconds of this, she shuddered.

Stop!

The aura ceased its progress, the air filled with her presence. A good fifty feet out, she could sense the sky, the sand, the surf, and Sakura right next to her. She pulled it back to thirty and gave another silent command. Her energy shaped itself into a dome, and she held it for a few moments. Then, she expanded it of her own will until… wait, there. Her spine tingled, her body quivered a bit, but she let it persist. This was where she would start her training. If she could make this irritating ache go away…

"That's enough."

Karin allowed her ki to settle and the aura dissipated. She had to blink a few times to clear the haze from her vision. "What'd I do wrong?"

Dhalsim chuckled. "Nothing. You simply… learned." He gave a nod. "Now then… try closing your aura off, just like Sakura did yesterday."

Karin took in another breath of air and let it out with a sigh. "Here goes nothing…"

* * *

Karin flopped onto one of the beds, hurting in places she didn't even know she could hurt. She'd long since changed her training clothes for something more fitting, too spent for anything other than that simple act. The faint sound of running water from the bathroom droned on as she stared at the ceiling, eyes half-lidded.

Shit. That wasn't fun at all.

Closing off her ki points wasn't so easy to execute, much less imagine, since she'd never done it before. The fact that a simple, relatively weak attack, channeled with the slightest bit of ki, could be potentially devastating when one's aura wasn't in the way made it worse in her mind.

Of course, Sakura demonstrated that a few too many times for her taste as Dhalsim had the two of them spar without any kind of ki defenses to prove the danger. Sakura held back as much as she could, but it still hurt like hell. She'd get her back for that later.

As if on cue, the bathroom door opened, revealing Sakura in a plush, off-white cotton bath robe, a towel wrapped around her head and a wide grin plastered to her face. "There, much better!" She headed for the same bed as Karin and flopped next to her with a sigh. "Y'know, I've waited for a chance to wear one of these before we left. Feels better than I imagined!"

Karin chuckled. "The simple pleasures in life, huh?"

"Yup!"

A comfortable silence pervaded the room for a few moments before Karin looked over at her friend. "Hey… did I do all right today? I mean, not that I'm doubting myself, just that I've never done any of that before. I never thought it was so important." Hell, everything she saw or did these days held contrary to what she'd thought all along, that she was something special.

Sakura's beaming smile toned down to a more subdued one. "You did fine. Everyone's gotta learn something sometime, especially me. I just do what comes natural and let the rest of it happen by itself, y'know?"

Karin nodded. "Yes, I think I understand what you mean a little better."

Sakura stretched her arms out across the comforter. "This is our last day here, you know. We really should go out and do something to celebrate! Y'know, hit the town, see what goes on at night, stuff like that!"

"While that does sound like a good idea…" Karin's yawn broke into her sentence. "I'm not in the mood to go anywhere right now." She turned her head to look at the brunette. "You should get some sleep too, y'know. We have a long day ahead of us."

Sakura's smile turned into a pout. "Y'know, sometimes you're no fun." She yawned, despite herself. "But you're right, as always. We gotta do what we gotta do." She stood and headed for her suitcase. "I'm gonna get dressed. Don't wait up for me!" With that, she vanished into the bathroom again.

Karin sighed and crawled toward the nearest pillow. Technically, it wasn't their last day here. That was tomorrow. But she already felt like she'd had enough of this place. Not that the training wasn't important, or that the locale wasn't scenic. She just felt like they had to keep moving. After all, they had someone tracking them, and he knew where they were almost all the time.

Only reason he wouldn't come was because of Dhalsim, and she hated using him as a shield.

She closed her eyes and tried not to think too hard about it. She wasn't in charge of travel plans anyway. There was a plan, and they had to follow it or Gouki would catch one of them alone, without support. She just hoped Ryu really knew what he was doing. If they were running around without a real aim, then…

The bathroom door opened outward, steam billowing from the entrance. Sakura emerged with a white cotton crop top and gray sweat pants, a pair of slippers on her feet. "What, you're asleep already?"

Karin groaned. "No. Was just about to until you opened your mouth."

Sakura plopped into bed just next to her and pulled the sheets toward her neck. "Yeah, sorry about that." A thick silence hung over the two of them before Sakura spoke again. "Hey, uh… You worried about what's gonna happen when we leave here?"

Karin lay there for a few moments, her features twisting as she tried to put an answer together. Was there a reason to worry at all? The two of them didn't have to fight him at all. Let other people handle the guy, their goal was to become stronger on their own. But then again…

Chun-Li's mangled body flashed through her mind, causing her to shudder at the thought. The strongest woman she knew was nothing but a spec of dirt to Gouki, easily ignored. What chance did Ryu really have against him?

Karin looked over at Sakura, a glimmer of doubt in her eyes. "You want me to be honest? I'm scared as hell."

Sakura grinned. "Yeah, me too!"

Karin raised an eyebrow. Well that's new. "And that makes you smile, why?"

Her friend laughed. "Because it's something I can use, silly!" She glanced toward Karin, face beaming. "It's not a bad thing to be afraid. It's a bad thing to let fear stop you from doing what you have to." Sakura looked toward the ceiling and closed her eyes with a sigh of content, as if the situation was already over. "All we have to do is keep moving forward, and we'll be fine. Right?"

Karin smiled. Same old Kasugano, always too optimistic for her own good. She could swear it was rubbing off on her. "Right. No worries." She turned onto her right side and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts unwind. Tomorrow was their last day here, and they'd spend all that time doing whatever it took to improve.

They had to. Neither of them could afford to do anything less.

* * *

**Round 38: **_**The Price of Power**_

Had a hard time finishing this one. Had an even harder time naming it.

But it's done. This chapter is finished, and it's about to get cleaned up and shipped out, all before yet another journey into the unknown! Real life has given me quite a few lemons this time, a whole box of 'em, and it's up to me to make them into lemonade. Suffice it to say that updates on this story and others will be slower than ever over the next few months… then again, that depends on what happens when I get to where I'm going.

In any event! Six thousand, seventy-four words and climbing at this point. I gotta say, that's a bunch, but it's still within quota! Yay for me. See you guys later!

_Pull out all the stops!_


	39. Forward, Once Again

_I knew this day would come. To be honest, I expected it to get here soon._

_I just didn't think… well I didn't think it'd hit me this hard._

_It's funny… we just met this guy. Skinny, somewhat creepy with those blank eyes of his and the paint and all that other stuff. The skulls especially, when I heard they used to belong to some kids. I don't know why anyone would keep something like that. If you think that's weird, you should see him stretch, the positions he can take. I still hurt from some of them, really._

_It's been what, a month since we got here? Feels like a week, time's been passing so quickly. But in that month, I've come to know Dhalsim pretty well. I know I shouldn't be so attached to him, but it happened anyway. He taught us so much in such a short time, but I feel like we're just barely scratching the surface. Not to mention he is a wonderful man._

_All good things though, must end… just wish this didn't have to._

-Excerpt from the diary of Karin Kanzuki, recent entry

* * *

**Kanto the Slayer** presents

A _Street Fighter_ Fanfiction

_**Beyond Alpha**_

* * *

Why they were out on the beach at three in the morning, Karin would never understand. The wind sliced and bit at them, making its best attempt to strip the flesh from their bones. If it weren't for the jackets and sweat pants they both wore, the click-clack of teeth as bodies shook to warm themselves would've been more evident.

They'd brought their beach towels with them, something Karin had almost forgot in the midst of bleary half-sleep. Of course, if she were more accurate, _Sakura_ brought them. Hell, she'd brought everything with them besides their luggage, still at the hotel and packed to leave. Two bottles of water, their training uniforms and wrappings, a battery-powered lantern and Sakura's usual cloth bandana.

Karin glanced over at Sakura, the electric lantern casting a harsh shadow over her features. "I never see you without that thing wrapped around your head. Don't you want to get rid of it now that you're actually living out your dream?"

Sakura sat there, silent for a few moments. Karin almost moved to prod her when an answer finally came ten seconds late, almost too quiet to really hear. "I'm not living my dream yet."

Karin's mouth closed, for she'd opened it to ask if the brunette was all right.

Sakura took in a breath of the sharp, cold sea air and sighed. "Training with Ryu was all I wanted to do when I saw him fight for the first time. I spent countless hours and late nights in my back yard trying to teach myself what he'd probably learned from some grand master. If I could just meet him and prove I at least had the talent, maybe he'd accept me."

Karin nodded, the only motion she'd made to prod Sakura onward.

"When that first burst of ki came out of my hands, I was a little freaked out. I'd just been practicing the motions, going through what I thought the move was supposed to be. There was just something about it that was always off except for that one day when I got it right." Sakura chuckled, brushed her right hand through her hair. "I looked back and there was a… feel to it. Something that I'd never thought to really add. So I put every ounce of that feeling I could into the motion, and just like that, my first real Hadouken."

Karin offered a tender smile, her head tilted slightly to the right. "You never did tell me the full details of that. So that's when you decided to get that bandana?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, Ryu actually gave this to me." She grinned, turning her head toward Karin. "We didn't fight that first time. I was just passing through and ran into him. I couldn't even breathe when I figured out he was right there in front of me!" They both giggled before she continued onward. "I tripped all over my words, couldn't get my head straight, but he seemed to understand. Then I couldn't speak at all when he left without his headband and I had it in my hands."

Karin's smile turned wistful. "Reminds me of the time I met Ken Masters, though that was after you'd made your brush with fame. I'd been following his career for a while and told him about the thing between you and me. What he told me made me really think…" Karin's head tilted down just a bit as she recited the words. "It's good to have a rival, not to prove you're better or to lord it over them, but to have someone to push you onward, to become better as a result."

Sakura grinned. "Inspiration!"

Karin nodded. "Exactly. You're my inspiration, Sakura."

"Well I don't know how to feel about that. I've been following someone else around for the longest time that I never really thought about how others saw me." Sakura's cheeks flushed pink at the thought. "I don't even teach you anything, you've got your own style that you made _yourself_. If anyone should be inspired, it's _me_."

Karin chuckled. "You teach me more than you think, you know." She glanced toward the horizon just in time to notice the sky was beginning to shift into the first shades of indigo that came with the dawn. "Hey, I think it's starting."

Sakura faced the ocean again and lay back on her towel. "Well then, I guess we should sit back and enjoy it."

Silence reigned for a while before Karin turned toward the brunette again. "So… what exactly is your dream, if not to train with Ryu?"

Sakura didn't respond immediately, simply watching the waves roll in. It took her a shorter time to respond than in the beginning, though. "I don't want to be him anymore. It's a lot bigger than that now." She smiled. "I want to surpass him."

* * *

Ryu stepped onto the beach in sweat pants and a gray hoodie, a pair of trainers making imprints in the sand as he made his way toward the last known location of his two wards. Dhalsim floated next to him, legs folded in lotus posture, blank eyes staring forward. "Worry not about the girls. Let them do as they will. I am more concerned about you…"

Ryu continued to walk without looking in the yoga master's direction. "And what is it that you feel the need to be concerned about?"

"The darkness within you."

Ryu fell silent, unable to say anything.

Dhalsim glanced in his direction. "You do understand that there is no way to tame it, to control it. It is the natural impulse of mankind to destroy. Why do you not remove this impulse from your soul? Why do you continue to struggle?"

The warrior maintained his silence, yet it said enough for him.

"I see… you don't want to. You enjoy the torture."

Ryu stopped in his tracks. "It's not that…" He fixed his gaze on the beach, listening to the wind for a few brief moments, watching it stir the grains of sand. "…It's just that I don't know how. My master taught me many things during his life time, but he never taught me how to control the Satsui no Hadou." He looked up at Dhalsim with a heavy sigh. "It's such a part of me now that I don't know if I can even get rid of it."

Dhalsim turned away from him, facing forward yet again. "And he is gone."

Ryu nodded. "Dead."

Dhalsim nodded. "Yes, dead. But he has left you an opportunity."

Ryu stared, one of his brows rising in confusion. "Do you… know something?"

There was silence for several hanging moments. Then the yoga master spoke again. "There is a power that exceeds death and violence. You have seen it for yourself, within me. But it is something I cannot teach you."

Ryu huffed. "You already told me that once. I'm asking if…"

"…Allow me to finish." Dhalsim floated his way around until he faced Ryu. "Your master… he knew this power as well. We may call it different names, but it shares the same traits. The ability to act without attachment to thought or emotion, to access the full power within while maintaining a state of peace. It can only be accessed by those truly willing to release their anger, hate, and aggression."

Ryu looked back down at the sand again. "But fighting _is_ aggression. There's no way out of it."

Dhalsim shook his head again. "One can do battle without the intent to kill. To be aggressive is to begin the fight, not to cease it. Surely, you know this, but you have not truly embraced it. The creature hunting you, for he is no longer a man, cannot be defeated by anything less than one who has removed themselves from their aggression."

Ryu raised his head to look back up at the bald guru. "So what you're saying is… I can do this?"

Dhalsim did not speak for a time before shaking his head. "It takes much to attain and much more to maintain. As such, you may very well spend the rest of your life accessing such a state. What I meant by opportunity… was the women traveling with you." He began to move again, and Ryu followed him. "He taught you so that you could teach others. The one you call Sakura has limitless potential and imagination. The one named Karin has determination and focus. They can learn in months what would take you years to accomplish."

Ryu nodded. "I know. They really are something special, especially Karin. Her fighting style isn't something she learned, it's something she invented. I can see that determination in her eyes every time she spars with Sakura, too. What can I teach her that she doesn't know already?"

Dhalsim smiled without turning to face Ryu. "What indeed? For now, watch them and continue to instruct. Perhaps you will find the answer to your own question."

In the distance, they saw the two girls in question kneeling on a pair of beach towels in Zen position. From the sand on their clothes, they were here since early morning, before sunrise. Ryu smiled as he took the sight of them in. "Maybe I will, Dhalsim…" He called out to them that it was time to leave, and they stood from their meditation with a bow toward Dhalsim.

The guru said nothing in response, simply smiled… and vanished in a haze of light.

Sakura blinked as even his aura vanished from her radar. "How does he _do_ that?"

Ryu chuckled. "Some things are best left to the imagination. Come on, we have a flight to catch."

* * *

Sakura peered out the window as the jet took off, trying to get a view of the beach they'd been training on for the last month. When she couldn't see the ground anymore, she closed the shade and turned toward Karin. "So… we're back to running away again."

Karin nodded. "Yeah. But now we can run away without our ki being tracked all that easily. Speaking of that, are you ready?"

Sakura grinned. "Let's do this!"

No one would notice what happened next besides Ryu, who sat in a seat across the aisle. The air around them cooled as their personal auras retreated. A tingle ran along their skin as all their valves shut closed, but only for the briefest of moments. This time it took three minutes, and when it was over the energy went to work immediately, taking the past few weeks of wear and tear away one inch at a time.

Sakura sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I just hope this is working. I don't want to have been there for nothing."

Karin smiled. "Of course it's working. I can feel it, after all. Can't you?"

"Well I can feel it, but that's not what I was talking about." Sakura closed her eyes, settling her head against the backrest. "If he can still trace us after all this, we're as good as dead, or worse." She looked over toward Karin for a moment, her eyes half-lidded with fatigue. "Promise me you'll stop me if I'm ever like that?"

The CEO of Kanzuki Enterprises sat silent for a few moments, the weight of the request hanging over her head like the anvil of a thundercloud. Then she nodded and closed her eyes as well.

"I promise… but it won't come to that. You're stronger than he is. I know it."

* * *

A pair of red eyes snapped open as something deep within him silenced. His eyes narrowed as he lifted his head, attempting to see beyond the darkness of the cave for something leagues away. After a few moments, a smile spread across his face and he rose from lotus posture.

"Interesting… so they have learned how to hide at last."

An otherworldly aura, deep crimson in color, flared to life, and the light of pure, unchecked violence pierced the darkness. His black gi was whole again, as if everything on him had healed, not just his body. The demon tilted his head to the right, and a pop from the base of his neck bounced off the walls. "If you have advanced that far in such a short amount of time, you are no mere child. You are finally ready to learn the truth about your fists."

His aura flared, brighter, hotter, as the thought of what she could accomplish raced through his mind. "Now it truly begins." He took his first steps since his battle in Hong Kong, looking as if he hadn't even fought. Part of him recalled the woman that faced him without fear, fully prepared to die. He chuckled. "I do hope you aren't dead yet, Inspector. I would like to see where that courage of yours comes from…"

Then the light winked out, for he had vanished in a blink.

* * *

Her brown eyes glanced over at the many flower bouquets sitting near her hospital bed. A smile graced the detective's face as she went over each card that came with the gifts in her mind. Despite what she'd heard them say behind her back on a daily basis, she'd expected this kind of response. It still touched her, and she'd have to give the whole precinct something in return.

She looked over at the blond man, built like a tank and face hewn from granite, arms folded across his chest and eyes closed. "So… the bastard that did this to you is still out there somewhere."

Chun-Li sighed. "I know what you're thinking, Major, and I advise you not to do it."

Guile opened his eyes, giving her a flat stare. "I can't just let this pass. If what you told me is true, he almost sucked the life right out of you without even touching you. That means he could give less of a shit whether you lived or died, and I don't take that lightly."

"And I'm saying that it's almost impossible, even for someone like you, to even find him in the first place." Her eyes narrowed just enough, lips tightening into a thin line. "He'd kill you before you were even able to sense where he was. The only reason I'm talking to you right now is because Ryu was fast enough to pull me out."

Guile held his stare for a few moments, and then turned away. "So what do you want me to do? Just sit here and do nothing while you recover?"

Chun-Li smiled. "Not exactly. You do remember our… mutual friend, right?"

The Major rolled his eyes. "Yeah… red-headed bitch. She kept everything from us until the end. Don't tell me we're actually going to ask for the CIA to help us track two Japanese women accompanying a guy that's almost as hard to hunt down as he is to beat up."

The smile turned to a smirk. "She has her uses, Guile. Besides, I'm sure she knows more about Sakura Kasugano than you do."

He huffed. "I know she's Ryu's one-girl cheering section. Wants to be just like him."

"And that is more possible than you think."

He glanced toward her from the corner of his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Chun-Li paused, her eyes tilted down at the sheets as she searched for a proper explanation. "There are certain people in the world who have the potential to accomplish great things, especially in the world of professional fighting. Some of them take years to unlock it, while others seem to be born with it." She looked up at him for a brief moment. "Sakura is of the second type. She learns intuitively, in months, what most would take years to achieve. Give her two years and she'll be the best in the world, while others would take six."

Guile shrugged. "Yeah, I've heard of that… prodigies who understand things earlier than most. What's that got to do with this?"

Chun-Li's face took on a serious cast. "The problem… is she's this way regardless of what she learns. The one that did this to me? He's looking for her."

One of the airman's brows rose, his features perplexed… then his eyes widened. "He's going to teach her how to do what he does…"

The Interpol detective folded her arms. "If he does, and she manages to survive the training, she'll be a whirlwind of destruction. The slightest provocation will be all it takes for her to fight, and she won't be able to stop. She won't _want_ to." Chun-Li tilted her head to the right. "You can already guess what I'm asking you to do."

Guile nodded. "Find him. Stop him via any means necessary." He growled. "And you want me to get _her_ to help."

"At least until I'm back at a hundred percent."

He tugged at his leather flight jacket. "Don't you have anyone else that could do this?"

Chun-Li shook her head, giving him a longsuffering gaze. "Not with the resources and technology she has access to. Besides, no one else I would call on would be as readily available. You'll have to grit your teeth and bear it for just a little while."

Guile sighed again and fished his aviator shades from the right pocket of his jeans. "Only for you, Chun-Li. Only for you." He slid the shades on, pushed on the bridge with one of the fingers on his right hand for good measure, and turned to leave. "But get better soon. I can't stand her attitude for long."

The hospital room was silent yet again, and Chun-Li looked out the window to her right. "Stay safe, Sakura… wherever you are."

* * *

**Round 39: **_**Forward, Once Again**_

WHOO! That's what I'm talking about! We finally get moving, and this chapter is ovar! But seriously, I'd like to thank everyone for sticking to this story when it's been so long since I updated. Hopefully someone will notice this on their e-mail and leave a review. Then again, I could care less right now, because it's done!

Yes, I'm writing shorter chapters. I tend to put things out faster and think clearer if my word count shrinks. Yay for efficiency.

With that said, tune in next time, when Sakura and company head toward Thailand! You already know what's goin' down next, so get ready for it.

_This is your Slayer._


End file.
